


Contrary

by Silverwing013



Category: Danny Phantom, Supernatural, Teen Titans (Animated Series)
Genre: A couple crossovers, Beast Boy - Freeform, Play around with characters and scenarios, Some connection, having fun, one shots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-02
Updated: 2018-10-05
Packaged: 2019-07-05 18:40:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 34
Words: 22,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15869469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silverwing013/pseuds/Silverwing013
Summary: A series of one shots, some connected, playing around with characters and scenarios.  A couple crossovers.See Notes for full listing of descriptions to all of them.





	1. Teachers are stupid (Data)

**Author's Note:**

> Teachers are stupid- Centered around Mr. Lancer knowing enough, relationship between him and Danny (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21)  
> Manson isn't richer than us- Danny and Tucker are the only two who know Sam's secret, right? (2)  
> Citizens always flee ghost towns- Do they really? Girl and her family move to Amity Park: A Nice Place to Live (4, 16)  
> Only Danny forgot- Why does Dash bully Danny? (6)  
> Her classmate was dead- Maddie's thoughts about Vlad after, believing he was still alive (8, 25)  
> Trouble always starts with Sam- Some students are told to redo filling out a simple practice job application (10)  
> Grandmothers adhere to the rules- Ida Manson gets a new pet (12)  
> Ghost Huntress of Jazz the Terrible- Sam and Jazz have a girl moment after a ghost fight (14)  
> He never pays attention to parental work- Danny slips up when Sam's talking about a book of the supernatural genre (18, crossover)  
> Hunter: Devoted to destroying all ghosts- Valerie observes Phantom, taking a moment to see from his starry point of view (20)  
> Danny, top A-Lister- Mikey talks about his favorite A-Lister (22)  
> A taught hate always perpetuates- Dani falls in love with someone she shouldn't (23)  
> Mayor's office always honors your wishes- Mayor Foley is on the case! (24, crossover)  
> Jazz is an adult- Jazz lends a helping hand to bring Danny back down to Earth (26)  
> Dash never works well with others- Dash, Danny, and Tucker work together on a group project (27)  
> Just an accident- Jazz goes to take Danny's place (28)  
> She needs a hero- Paulina writes a letter and gets a fair chance in the running (29)  
> Danny isn't kind- Valerie and Danny have a long overdo talk (30)  
> Just a chicken jerk- Elliot explains about Gregor (31, added slight crossover back to 18)  
> Shared images- Sidney and Danny bring new meaning to locker buddies (32)  
> Ember affects everyone- Discovery of a glaring weakness (33)  
> Secret identity of a therapy hero- Everyone rallies together on the behalf of a local hero (34, crossover back to 24)

Contrary to what their students believed, the teachers of Casper High School were not stupid.

* * *

Sneaking back into the school building as Phantom, Danny grabbed the forgotten textbook out of Tucker's locker and grinned after he flew by the teacher's staff room. Zipping in, he hastily went invisible as he realized the teachers were still there on a Friday night. An old belief flickered through Danny's head jokily. Teachers really don't have a life outside of the classroom. Although, Mr. Lancer looked just as bored as Danny felt during history class, writing in the sides of his notebook instead of listening to the discussion of school promoted scholarships for the seniors. He silently chuckled at the image of his teacher as an inattentive young student, daydreaming and doodling.

The young half ghost then paled upon seeing the outlined points of the staff meeting up on the board. Curiosity killed the cat, not Danny, well at least not fully, so the boy stayed in the staff meeting a bit longer. When the next outlined point was reached, his eyes felt sharper and he straightened into full attention no class could ever manage anymore. Mr. Lancer stifled a yawn and the current student recognized what his teacher was doing as he casually drifted his hand over what he had been writing. When the up to date percentage was stated, Danny blinked in surprise.

He hadn't realized his excuse of using the restroom when bailing from a classroom to 'go ghost' was quite so high.


	2. Manson isn't richer than us

Contrary to what her friends thought, most the A-Listers already know about Sam's financial status.

* * *

"Your parents are still on the allowance thing? How lame," Paulina pouted. At the mirror, Star continued pulling at her hair and turning her head as she played around with the blonde strands. She stood straighter and stood behind Star in the mirror, batting her eyes. Her friend scowled, but Paulina took over her mirror to make sure she was still gorgeous, and then leaned next to her window with the phone. "My _papa_ would never dream of taking funds away from my _Quinceanera_."

"Yeah well, they're out to prove the importance of spending wisely. I got the whole partay set up, I just don't have enough left for the outfits we agreed on," Dash explained.

"Then just change the outfit. Ugh," she made a noise of disgust and turned away from the window. She did not need to see that hideous purple spider outside of school too. "Manson is such a loser."

Star peeked over from braiding her hair and nodded. "Like totally. What is she doing around this side of town?"

"The reason why she's such a loser. Your party would never be in jeopardy if she acted like the rest of us."

Irritated, Dash snipped at her, "Why are we talking about those losers?"

"The Manson loser walked by to her house."

"What?" Star shouted. The girl spun away from the mirror, half done braid coming free. "She lives here? Manson…she's part of Mr. and Mrs. Fifties family?"

" _Si_ ," Paulina answered gravely. "Their darling little Samantha. Such a travesty. Well, the whole family's wardrobe style aside, they're the richest in town. Style can be ignored, can be eccentric, but Manson grew up into such a freak loser. Our parents are all friends, we stayed nice to her, but she would have none of it."

"Quit reminding me," Dash snapped through the phone. Paulina scrunched her nose at that. She didn't like remembering Manson was above them all financially either. No one talked about the Manson issue. The loser at least had never gone out to steal the popularity of them though, so Paulina could care little what the freak did. But pity. If Manson wasn't such a freak loser, Dash's party wouldn't be having this issue.

Star's hanging mouth closed.

"So are we just going for a usual party rather than sporting cool threads," Paulina asked. She rolled her eyes at the wall. She wasn't the one who came up with that word choice.

"Uh, how about you keep it cheap and make it loser threads," Star piped in. The blonde girl shrugged at the idea, leaving it as a suggestion.

"Oh! Stick it to that freak loser! Loser threads!" Slyly, she added in for the win. "Didn't you say Danny was invited? Perfect loser party accessory…and I know for a fact his sister isn't even coming."


	3. Teachers are stupid (One)

Contrary to what their students believed, the teachers of Casper High School were not stupid.

* * *

Danny made it a thing to keep poking his head into the weekly teacher meetings. He found out there were statistics on Tucker and Sam as well, but they were typically ignored due to how low their percentages of missing in action during a ghost attack were. Danny supposed it made sense; they had to cover for his own disappearances. He was just glad they seemed to be ignored. Valerie made the list with him too after a few weeks of being the Red Huntress. To his surprise, he found Mr. Lancer had the most statistics on him and those involved in that red notebook of his, however, he contributed the least to the rest of the teachers. It was a jolt to him when he figured that part out after several months of his weekly visits.

Oddly enough, he also found Mr. Lancer was the only teacher who still allowed him to use the restroom excuse. He'd had to come up with various other excuses for everyone else, but had yet to change his excuse for Mr. Lancer. Sam noticed several weeks after him. She brought it up to him and he brushed it off, continuing to use the restroom excuse. Sam told Tucker, which caused some concern, but they tried hiding it from him since Danny shrugged it off and just went with it. Danny felt a bit more trusting of his bald teacher for some odd reason. He knew he was being monitored the closest by the older man, but it filled his chest up with something significant when week after week Mr. Lancer did not speak up on any of his extra statistics to the other teachers.

In a weird way, he felt like Mr. Lancer had his back. But was also fully aware Mr. Lancer would totally call him out on it if it all went to hell.


	4. Citizens always flee ghost towns (New)

Contrary to reputation and citizens always fleeing from ghost towns, Amity Park was a nice place to live.

* * *

After hours of riding in the cramped trail blazer, it was nice to get out and move. At the same time, the scowling brunette thought sourly, moving wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Her parents had put her to work while chatting next door with their new neighbors. Stiff muscles and hefty boxes didn't mix and she missed her friends. At least she liked meeting new people. It was just very difficult for her to get past pleasantries.

It wasn't as though she'd be making friends fast enough to help with these boxes.

"Beware, for I am the Box Ghost!"

"Oh um, hi," she greeted back. Shuffling the large box around in her hands, she had difficulty seeing the other person and wasn't willing to lose her grip on the box marked 'Kitchen China'. The other guy was a bit odd, but the preteen could live with that. "So, you're good with making boxes, uh, fly quickly inside then? I'm not so fast to say I can make them fly in like a ghost, but I can be Box Tortoise. Ya'know, like the story with slow and steady winning the race? I'm sorry I can't greet you properly with my hands full and face covered, but can you help me carry them in?"

The owner of the other voice was silent, but then responded, "The Box Ghost accepts your challenge Tortoise! I will make all these boxes fly to the house!"

"Oh great!" She shrugged her shoulder back toward the moving van, hoping the other guy could see. Pausing at the open front door, she directed whoever the guy was in where the other moving boxes were at. "You can grab one of the ones still in the van while I keep carrying this one in, okay?"

Setting her box down inside, the brunette turned back and blinked at the line of boxes literally floating across the yard. Exiting the house, she watched the line of boxes go in one by one inside. Bending down, she waved a hand underneath a box to find only air.

"There is no way Danny is going to believe me when I tell him this."

The brunette jumped at the voice, turning to see an older gothic girl wearing plaid watching the boxes with wide eyes. "Uh, hi."

"What did you do?"

The preteen jumped again at the demanding voice. "Um, I didn't do anything. That guy seems to be doing this. I only asked for him to help me carry them in, since he referred to himself as 'Box Ghost'. I thought he could carry them quickly, like flying them in, a figure of speech, but I um didn't really think he'd actually fly them in."

The older girl blinked and then laughed. "Welcome to Amity Park."

"A nice place to live," the preteen added in. She rolled her eyes. It was how her parents kept trying to sell the place to her, so that she would accept the new hometown.

"Yeah, sure, that too." The other girl waved off the town slogan and shook her head. She grinned, and then pushed an odd metallic earpiece thing. "Hey guys, I'm going to join the welcome party for the new move-ins and help the Box Ghost carry their stuff in."

The earpiece exploded with several different voices, but the older girl muted it and turned with a large grin. "So what's your name anyway?"

"That is the Box Tortoise! Tortoise is slow and steady with the boxes, but beware! For I am the Box Ghost! That box there is mine human!"

The older girl moved to pick up a different non-floating box from the blazer, mirth in her face. "Sorry. I'll take this one then."

A blue almost see through man rose up even higher from the box he was behind, eyes narrowed. "That is acceptable. But all boxes from the box vehicle are mine! Beware!"

The preteen gawked at the blue man, who disappeared back inside the moving van, boxes continuing to fly out and follow the hovering trail to her new house. Three other teens raced up, watching the boxes with the same stunned looks.

"Hey guys," the gothic girl greeted them. "Come to help? This is Box Tortoise. She asked the Box Ghost for help in carrying in the boxes and he's helping. I'm gunna call you Tory for short, 'kay?"

"Uh, sure?"

"You're permitting him to act on his obsession?" The girl with red hair asked. "Fascinating! He's not being a nuisance if he's allowed."

The dark skinned boy grabbed a box from the trail blazer, snickering. "Dude, I'm so signing him up on the welcoming committee now."

"Tucker," the other boy hissed.

"What? I'm mayor and our town claims to be a nice place to live. Hey Boxy! Do you want to be allowed to fly in boxes for anyone moving in?"

"The Box Ghost accepts your proposal!"

The teens spun about to glare the one who claimed to be the mayor.

"TUCKER!"


	5. Teachers are stupid (Routine)

Contrary to what their students believed, the teachers of Casper High School were not stupid.

* * *

Danny began thanking the harried teacher. Sure, Sam and Tucker may have looked at him funny, but he shrugged it off. He continued thanking Mr. Lancer at the end of a crazy class, crazy of the Fenton/Phantom variety, for allowing him to use the restroom and for the good class lesson. Mr. Lancer would raise his eyebrow at him, make a crack at ghosts destroying his lesson plans and remind Danny of the homework.

It was awesome.

Danny always missed the homework in the entire hullabaloo. And while his friends met him at the end of such a class, sprinting more like, they didn't share this classroom in the second semester. Hullaballo aside, class continued, unless the fight entered. With his concern on keeping everyone safe, most fights at school were led outside. He knew fights were noticed, the teacher meeting he continued secretly attending told him that, but he wasn't entirely sure how the teachers kept the students focused on class. There was a fight and not just a normal one, a ghostly one. How did the teachers do it? It wasn't exactly a mystery Danny would solve seeing how he couldn't be in two places at once. Yet.

But, because of Mr. Lancer, Danny finally had a class he never missed the homework assignments for and he loved it. After the loss of normalcy and faced with nearly failing his classes time and time again, being able to have all his assignments for at least one was amazing. It really wasn't something he could really describe to his friends when they asked, but they began putting more effort into getting all of his assignments if at all possible. Danny knew that was annoying; he had long forgone dashing about to bother all of his teachers every single day. Most were feed up. They told him to pay attention and give effort rather than telling him the assignments. Thus, grades were not what they used to be and he refused to face his dreams of being an astronaut disappearing little by little with every Phantom appearance.

Mr. Lancer became someone he chit chatted with nearly every day. Danny found himself liking the man, even if he favored sport jocks too much at times. Conversations with this teacher compared to every other adult were normal and filled up with a dry humor that got him smiling.

But every now and then, Mr. Lancer would furrow his eyebrows down in concern, asking if he was okay. The young half ghost would pull back and assure the man he was. Sometimes Danny found himself admitting he was just a bit sore or he just had a bruise when the look did not disappear. Those weren't things he admitted to Sam and Tucker later. But he took caution and the first chance to leave the conversation.

When signing up for classes for the following school year, Danny went for a couple more that he knew Mr. Lancer taught, even though they were of the English variety more than Math and Science that he needed for being an astronaut, which he still signed up for. He never thought he'd go for additional English classes when he started at Casper High School.

His gut clenched at the last teacher meeting. The teachers of the extra Math and Science classes Danny had signed up for were horror struck. The balding teacher had then dryly told them they only needed to state assignments again before Danny left for his next class, stating the young Mr. Fenton would be fine if they did that. Then Mr. Lancer shook his head, sighing, repeating again how Danny would be fine.

And Danny, who had loved the feel of normal in knowing his assignments and passing Mr. Lancer's classes, suddenly felt the sting of disappointment laced in the teacher's voice and wished the helpful tip to his future teachers was never spoken.


	6. Only Danny forgot

Contrary to what Dash thought, Danny wasn't the only one who forgot.

* * *

Filled with a childish glee, Kwan's best friend spun about merrily. "I get to give Fenton a lesson! Teach him the real meaning of true speed! He won't forget **_that_** I'm sure!"

"Uh, right." Blinking rapidly, Kwan tried to not become dizzy from Dash twirling about in the chair. Spin, spin, spin. All while giggling to himself. It was concerning, even with Danny being the one involved. "What is this about?"

With a slam of feet, Dash abruptly stopped his motion to stare at Kwan in disbelief. "Whaddya mean? What is this about? Everyone knows why I hate Fentino after October 3rd of 7th grade! This one was the final nail on Fentoadies coffin that day!"

"Right, right."

The blonde went back to spinning about in his chair and Kwan went back to trying not to get dizzy. Star had asked him a couple weeks ago about his best friend's fixation on Danny while they had been on their late night walk alone, but he had no answer for it. Kwan knew Dash made sure whenever something went wrong, Danny was first to know and be blamed for it. It also infuriated the blonde that the other forgot what horrible thing he did, making Danny even more a target.

Propping his head up with his hand, Kwan watched as Dash listed off several conditioning exercises he was planning to use for his training of Danny in gym class. It sounded more of the typical kind of his best friend making the kid suffer again. His friends had good qualities, but he never went out of his way for this type of thing. It actually annoyed Kwan.

But he had a feeling if he informed Dash that it wasn't just Danny, it was everyone who had no idea of what the kid did…well…

Danny was a target of everything wrong in Dash's life.

So Kwan didn't ask what happened, faking that he knew all about the famous October 3rd as he began listing off the more basic conditioning exercises to influence his best friend to go easy on Danny. After all, the plotting blonde had all day with the poor kid.

"Right! I don't want him too fast after all!" Dash stopped spinning as he realized this loudly. "I'm still the fastest in the school after all."

"Yeah," Kwan agreed easily. "Right ahead of Sam."

Dash's face turned an interesting shade of red. Kwan lifted his head curiously.

"True meaning of speed here, Dash Baxter! Right Kwan." Dash slapped a fist into his hand. "I'll show Fenton and he won't ever forget it!"

Relaxing again, Kwan zoned out as he watched his best friend happily rambling and spinning. He jerked his head back up and looked at Dash carefully, who still continued gleeful plans for Danny tomorrow.

Didn't Sam beat Dash's time on the mile run a few years ago?


	7. Teachers are stupid (Ambition)

Contrary to what their students believed, the teachers at Casper High School were not stupid.

* * *

The young half ghost spent more than a few times that summer bothered by how Mr. Lancer's words were spoken. But when the teacher greeted him first class of Sophomore year, there was a confidence in his voice of how this year would be better and an optimism Danny found catching. Hope refilled him and he strove to put his best foot forward, then keeping it there. He would earn his good grades this year. He became and gotten used to being Phantom last year, of course grades suffered. He could do it this year.

The hope didn't last and Danny finally understood as he saw the light leave Mr. Lancer's eyes and a frustration take over them both in his grades slowly slipping. They were decent grades. Nothing was wrong with them. They were fine. But Danny could be better than fine.

So much for his goal of schoolwork he was proud of for this school year. Any claim of remaining the least bit normal slowly left Danny. Normal had left a long time ago for a Fenton, especially him. A few assignments began being late every now and again in several classes, then finally, the first late assignment turned into Mr. Lancer.

When he finally found the nerve to apologize to Mr. Lancer about not being able to do better, Danny was a firsthand witness to the teacher being struck silent. Then, the man admitted something Danny was sure hurt the teacher to admit. That he didn't know how else to help Danny succeed academically and help him reach his goal of someday becoming an astronaut.

Mr. Lancer said how much he looked forward to having him as a student after Jazz told him how smart and driven her little brother was to reach his goal. The older man had paused and then Danny was struck completely dumb. Mr. Lancer checked the hallway and leaned close, stating he was worried if he should be concerned if Danny's goals had changed.

Scared and paranoid, fearing what the teacher was suggesting, Danny managed to shake his head in the negative before racing off. He didn't discuss it with Tucker and Sam, they still didn't know about the teacher meetings. But, in his panic, he did yell at his older sister for telling Mr. Lancer stuff about him. Which then she said something thoroughly embarrassing about him being her little brother and she was proud of him.


	8. Her classmate was dead (Hide)

Contrary to the majority, Maddie believed Vlad was still alive.

* * *

"This is ridiculous," the Fenton matriarch nearly shouted.

Grumbling, she shifted boxes and attempted to fit the one in her hand inside the small hallway closet. Pushing the door, she heard a crunch, wincing at the sound. Still crunching loudly in the early morning, she shoved until the door clicked shut. Fishing out the key from her pocket, Maddie locked it.

It was a great thing no one used the hallway closet, preferring to remove coats wherever was handy or inside their rooms. She really had no concerns on anyone trying to get into the closet, but the time had come that it was no longer an option. Tomorrow would call for a new place to begin hiding the boxes.

A thudding of feet marked the downstairs entrance of her son and she smiled as he came around the corner. Danny beamed back, giving his morning greeting, and ducked his head in embarrassment as she took the moment to kiss his forehead. Maddie smiled again. He still let her do it.

Mother and son walked into the kitchen.

He eyed her carefully and she nearly laughed at his caution. After all this time, he still worried about ecto infected food. Humming to herself, she started up the stove and got out the eggs. Heading over to the fridge himself, Danny pulled out the orange juice. She watched him pour two glasses and found her mind wandering over the breakfast not in the room.

Just how many times did he call Vlad a fruit loop?

Brows furrowed down, Danny turned to look at her and Maddie froze as she realized she had asked the question out loud.

"I don't know," he slowly replied. "Why do you want to know?"

She laughed nervously. "No reason honey. I was only thinking out loud."

"Oh," Danny responded. He seemed a little put off by her answer and Maddie sharpened her gaze on the youngest Fenton. It was pain and regret, confusion and sadness. She itched, understanding the sadness for how Vlad took his choices and they had been many choices Danny himself had to endure with the uniqueness that forever linked her college classmate and her son. It wasn't a link Maddie liked much, it was clear her son turned in on himself every time the man was brought up. Yet it was Jazz he felt comfortable talking with about the topic of Vlad, so she hadn't pushed.

Maddie had done everything she could to avoid pushing Danny about that particular…person.

So certain daily deliveries were kept hidden. And it wasn't the newspaper.

She feared Vlad was still alive. He was certainly still very much alive in Danny's heart.

"A lot, I lost track." Mother turned to see Danny carefully speaking not to her, but to his plate of scrambled eggs, moving them around with his fork. "He threa—said he'd pay me back for every time that I said it. He never did."

When Danny left the house, Maddie watched him go. Red shoes crunched as they went. She went still. He looked back at her, catching the hitch in her farewells and reminders. She smiled at him, he sent one back, then spun on his heel to head out. The front door shut and Maddie looked down at the rainbow crumbs scattering the floor, fruit loops that had fallen from crunched box and hallway door.

"This is ridiculous."

Long past understanding why she let the man reside in her house and mind, trying to hide it from her son, Maddie thought of the empty storage box down in the basement. It felt wrong to throw them out. She could feel that sadness creeping up. What had happened to Vlad was her fault, she failed to keep trying and remain by his side as a friend, not realizing what they had done. Cut off from family and successfully pushing away his only friends, he had become lonesome and vengeful. His prized tenacity that all at the college respected him for became twisted and drove him to something Maddie found hard to swallow from the young man he used to be, cherishing his few relationships so strongly.

It was he who ate up her insides, eating away slowly.

Everyday, he was brought to the forefront of her mind and to front door with a cheerfully bright delivery. Nothing of the tangled thoughts circulating about Vlad were cheerful or bright.

Most of all, Maddie hated herself, not for her part of Vlad's accident and their past; but she hated herself for how her son blamed himself for not being able to turn Vlad back into that young man she had so strongly admired.

Alive or not, Vlad remained the same, clinging to the last relationship he cherished.

Maddie swept up the rainbow crumbs.


	9. Teachers are stupid (Yield)

Contrary to what their students believed, the teachers at Casper High School were not stupid.

* * *

After the rest of sophomore year finished, Danny refusing to enter into idle chit chat with a growingly irritated Mr. Lancer, the trio of friends actually enjoyed the last day of school. Many times, days Danny used to fully enjoy were destroyed by ghosts, but so far, this last day of school was not one and holding up well. Dash and Kwan were even too excited to bother with him and his friends. Not to mention Danny's grades were one grade higher at the end of this year compared to freshman year. It was a good celebrating day. He, Tucker, and Sam made plans to fully end the day well with heading over to Nasty Burger that night.

Then, instead of taking off home with Jazz's offered drive back, his meddling older sister somehow steered him into the library and he found Mr. Lancer standing inside waiting. Ignoring his scowl, she told him off for how he had behaving with a teacher and that he should fix things before summer, preaching the typical line of how much teachers care. Yeah, right. Teachers ignored him unless he was giving an excuse to leave the classroom. And if it wasn't for Mr. Lancer, his teachers this year wouldn't have bothered to repeat the homework assignments for him. He glowered over at the bald man, reminding himself he wasn't supposed to know that.

Without a word, Mr. Lancer held up a worn one subject notebook Danny recognized from the red cover and he paled. It was the same one the older man scribbled things about him and the others involved with ghost stuff in Amity Park. Biding him to come forward, the man opened to the first page and Danny cautiously looked at the statistics and side notes, longer than any bits he caught during the teacher meetings. Carefully, he slowly flipped through the pages hunkering down and avoiding eye contact the whole time. It was all about him, Valerie, Sam, Tucker, Jazz, even a couple small notes on Paulina. Danny noticed portions of the side notes had been scribbled out, recognizing it as the area Mr. Lancer oh-so-casually covered during the meetings.

The man fixed his grip on the notebook, holding the page down. Danny hastily pulled his hand back from flipping through it. He swallowed, refusing to look at the older man, trying to figure out how to lie out of this, to make sure he still had some sort of a handle on how things in his life were, that nothing was revealed and blown up to—

Danny looked up automatically at the sound of his name.

Mr. Lancer flipped over to the next page, the very last page. Rather than statistics that covered a month or so, this last page had statistics covering over the last year. The first one had the percentage of ghost attacks occurring whenever Danny left a classroom. A full 96% of the time. The next line stated the percentage of times Phantom showed up whenever Danny left the classroom. Same percentage. And a notation that it was 100% that Phantom showed whenever a ghost attack happened when Danny left the classroom.

Ah crud. Crud, crud, crud!

Somehow Danny didn't think Mr. Lancer believed he was avoiding the ghosts to avoid living in the same reputation his parents had.

Biting his lip, the teacher handed the notebook over to Danny, and informed the boy he could keep it. Baffled, Danny stared up at the man. Calmly, Mr. Lancer pointed to the back of the notebook where an address and telephone number was listed. He couldn't mean that he wanted Danny to…visit or call or something weird like that?

But the whole situation was weird. Teachers were supposed to be stupid about things. Especially their students. And exponentially so when that teacher was a complete laughing stock to so many here.

"I just help Phantom," Danny burst out before he bolted.

He flew to piss off forever butting in and interfering Jazz rather than taking her up on her drive back after what she did. Okay, honestly, he was so perturbed he had just raced home as fast as he could and forgot about the offer, but Danny was still going to get back at his older sister as much as he could possibly could.

It wasn't until he got home that he realized that he still had Mr. Lancer's notebook. Something in him broke at the sight of the evidence and what it meant or will mean. Not wanting to deal with it, Danny shoved it into the back of his messy desk drawer.


	10. Trouble always starts with Sam

Contrary to trouble with Danny always starting with Sam, Tucker had been around far longer.

* * *

Snorting giggles broke across the classroom. Threats followed, breaking the previous quiet noise of pens across paper. Marking his page in the book, Mr. Taylor looked up to see the two guilty looking faces of the best friends in this period.

Dash and Mikey were currently in agreement of something, both not happy at the pair of friends. One was more annoyed at the pair in general all the time, while the other was more on taking the matter of the future more seriously, but Mr. Taylor smiled in amusement at the brief agreement between them.

Then he called out the pair. "Tucker and Danny. Anything you wish to share?"

Danny stashed the piece of notebook paper under his pencil case, pursing his lips to hold in the laughter burning his face red. The boy shook his head.

Bright and beaming, Tucker threw his arm up. "I have a question A.J. I was just asking Danny about it too."

Mr. Taylor stared at each boy carefully, each one looking ready to crack up into laughter. Others in the classroom didn't look nearly as amused. Finally, he decided. "No Tucker. I'll go over the sample job applications when you turn them in. Fill them out as best you can, up to date and as truthfully as possible."

If anything, Tucker grinned wider. "Thanks A.J. That answers it anyway."

And then the boy covered his mouth and poked at Danny next to him. Tucker whispered at him, "Walker counts". Danny tried not to look, but shared a snicker with his friend. Dash looked ready to get up and do something about it this time, until both turned and began scribbling as quickly as they could in the last few minutes of class.

Sighing, Mr. Taylor thumped his head onto his desk on top of the pair of sample job applications he glanced at first. The first questionable sign had been with the language section, both boys putting Esperanto.

But the teacher stopped upon noticing what Tucker and Danny had down to the criminal record section. Both boys marked any convictions as a yes, but their explanations of the nature and location of the offenses is what led Mr. Taylor's head to the desk. Charged for a thousand years with bringing in contraband items, trespassing, and leading/assisting a prison escape from Ghost Zone…

Faintly, he could hear their laughter out in the crowded hallway.

"You can't put that on a job application," their female friend's voice shrieked out. The pair of boys laughed louder. "Walker doesn't count! Are you two crazy?"

"Do you think I can work the bad boy image for the ladies?"

"Tucker! Be serious! Danny! I can't believe you put that down!"

Sighing, Mr. Taylor marked both boys sample applications for his career class with a bright red pen, attaching a new job form with a paperclip for the pair to do over.


	11. Teachers are stupid (Predicament)

Contrary to what their students believed, the teachers of Casper High School were not stupid.

* * *

It took several weeks before Danny ran across a certain bald man once more. But still far too many weeks before Danny expected to. His parents were replacing the kitchen table; they had dragged him along to have him help choose a new and sturdier one. Apparently, and unfortunately, Mr. Lancer was searching for a new bookcase.

Parents and teacher who knew too much.

In the same place.

Talking.

Overly panicked, Danny wanted to leave, but his parents were cheerfully talking to Mr. Lancer and he desperately needed to know what this particular teacher would say to them. Silently, Danny sent a plea to get out of this. Overshadowing and weirdness was too precarious to get the adults separated, because he didn't know what his teacher thought he knew about the Phantom connection. He knew his life was never that easy. So Danny stuck close to his parents, watching and listening to every word carefully.

That is until he gasped and the Box Ghost attacked.

Both his parents rushed to action and the entire store went nuts. And it was the Box Ghost. He wasn't strong, but he was resilient and kept coming back. The annoying ghost had actually improved over time with hiding and being able to avoid attacks.

He groaned.

"You've got to be kidding me!"

"Problems Mr. Fenton?"

Danny jolted, forgetting in his panic that Mr. Lancer was still standing there. Unfortunately, this garnered the attention of the Box Ghost in their direction. The ghost gleefully shouted his usual, and then threw a box containing a Hartman oak side table with a shelf at them. Shrieking, Mr. Lancer dove under the kitchen table with Danny. The table held up.

"That's it. Shopping's over. I choose this table for my crazy ghost obsessed parents," he declared. Mr. Lancer guffawed a bit, nerves making it a bit higher.


	12. Grandmothers adhere to the rules

Contrary to the rules of the house, Ida Manson never followed them.

* * *

It was during a flight over to Sam's house, Tucker complaining the entire way per usual, when Danny let out an unexpected gasp of air. Halting, he hovered over the Manson perfectly manicured lawn. Typically the ghosts entered his residence or made trouble at areas filled with many people, like the school or Nasty Burger. If anything concerned one of his friends, it was never at their place of residence.

"I don't see any ghosts man," Tucker spoke up. "Can we just get to Sam's room instead of dangling me like a piece of taunting meat for whatever it is? I do better with both feet on the ground."

Whirling gears sounded, quickly coming closer to them. Danny gripped tighter on Tucker. "Snag a hold of the thermos," he hissed out quickly. Awkward at the position, the dark hands fumbled about for Danny's hip for the specially made container.

Then something shot across the yard under them, glowing green. Zooming after, not away from it, was a shiny device being driven by a hooting grandmother.

"Uhh…"

With a whoop and a holler, Sam's grandmother twirled around behind the speck of glowing green as it suddenly started going in circles directly below where the two boys hovered.

"Um…is that…?"

The small glowing green ghost looked up, and then pleased at seeing them there.

"Uh, yeah, I think it is."

Yapping and spinning in circles under them, the small ghost dog jumped up and down in excitement. The pair stared, still trying to comprehend the fact that the Manson of no-god-awful-smelling-and-noisy-troublesome-pets-in-our-house and of we-do-not-accept-your-relationship-with-the-ghost-obsessed-family-of-Fentons…now had a ghost dog at their house.

Bending down, the dog tensed up, ready to spring up and fly to them.

"Get your squeaky."

And the tiny thing immediately forgot about them and tore away. Skidding past, the dog snagged a squeak toy lying in the grass and bolted straight at Sam's grandmother. Leaping up onto her lap, he dropped the toy.

"Good boy."

"Mother," a voice called out. "Where are you?"

Ida Manson scowled, but grinned at the green furball on her lap. "Hide Cujo." With a lick at her hand, the ghost dog went invisible. "Good boy."

Danny and Tucker watched the scene from up above, still baffled completely into silence. Yet somehow…Cujo's new master made complete sense.


	13. Teachers are stupid (Privy)

Contrary to what their students believed, the teachers of Casper High School were not stupid.

* * *

Danny fought to hold back as he watched the current battle between his parents and ghost. And it wasn't that his parents were not good at their job, but the Box Ghost was better at avoiding and his father was going a bit overboard. They were all still inside with people running around. Danny itched to speed up the process and get the Box Ghost out.

Mr. Lancer cleared his throat. Instincts up from the ongoing fight and what this man might know, Danny turned his head with the best poker face he could manage.

"It's enough to scare the crap out of someone, isn't it Mr. Fenton?"

Spoken as dryly, calmly, and matter-of-factly as it was from an adult to a kid, it took Danny a few seconds to realize what was just said. What little of a poker face he could hope to manage disappeared as he went wide eyed and mouthed in shock.

Mr. Lancer pointed to the restroom.

Danny's mouth snapped back shut. An out!

"Yeah," he agreed readily. "Yeah it is. Gotta go!"


	14. Ghost Huntress of Jazz the Terrible

Contrary to what her little brother screamed, Jazz believed she was not at all terrible at ghost hunting.

* * *

"Don't worry Jazz, I got it. Keep the change Kevin," Sam told the boy at the counter. She traded him the cash for the ice cream, handing the chocolate to the red head. When Jazz looked ready to speak up at the payment, Sam shot her a look. "Seriously it's no problem."

The pair moved over to a small table with their bowls, spoons already at work.

"You know Jazz," Sam began as she slid onto the padded chair. "You really did a great job earlier today."

Swallowing, the older girl glanced up in confusion. "Why do you sound so surprised? Do you really believe the ghost fighting should only remain on Danny, Tucker, and your shoulders? You're only kids. Sure, you three have more experience, but some of these ghost fights can be extremely dangerous. I know now which adds another set of hands. And our mom and dad are competent…er, well, I see your point there, but they have been working on ghosts long enough that they **_are_** a force to reckon with."

A finger swiped off the splat of chocolate that hit her check when Jazz pointed her spoon. The red head flushed.

"Yeah," Sam drawled out. "Your parents. Sure. But seriously Jazz, I was surprised. I totally did not want you part of the Danny thing because last time you tried 'helping' us, Danny wound up in the thermos."

Jazz winced.

"Multiple times," Sam added dryly.

"Look, Sam, just because I had the trouble then, it doesn't mean that I'm terrible. I mean, I grew up in the same ghost obsessed household as Danny, didn't I?"

Pausing, Sam set her spoon back into her bowl and nodded slowly.

"I've even fought ghosts before helping out Danny and you guys," Jazz threw in. "When Danny and mom went on their trip, dad and I ended up having some bonding time of our own as ghost after ghost after ghost attacked our house. Together, dad and I fought every single one successfully. I even, for experimental reasons, put on one of mom's spare hazmat suits to get into the proper ghost fighting attire and mindset. Don't tell anyone that part. But I found that after all my time denying that part of my parents, I still had picked up ghost stuff and I was good. Can't get away from being a Fenton really."

Jazz smiled at that, glad at coming to terms with her family's nutball reputation and accepting herself and they for what they were. On the other side of the table, Sam's eyebrows furrowed down.

"Yeah…but then why…" Trailing off, Sam scooped up ice cream and pondered as her mouth slowly worked on the cold treat.

"You three never take me seriously, but I know I'm good at ghost fighting," Jazz stated manner-of-fact. "What was weird was how terrible of a job I was doing when I first gave it a go with you guys. And then the more I became determined to help Danny, the worse it became. But I figured out why and wanted to prove to you guys that I could help."

Scrapping at the last of her chocolate, Jazz finished it off before continuing.

"If it glows and flies, attack it. If it is a ghost, attack. It's advice that has been drilled into both Danny and I since young right along with fire drills. And it is wonderful advice, considering ghosts did wind up being real," Jazz admitted. "So Danny may have had issues figuring out how to use his powers in everyday life, but using them in fights with ghosts, those powers came easier. I asked him."

Sam nodded. "Danny's always had an easier time pulling out different abilities during a fight."

"And you said how well I did earlier today, another statement to how Danny and I were raised. The only difference is that if you compare Danny and I side by side, Danny will always appear better than I am. We both fight ghosts, but Danny will never have what mom and dad teach him fail. If it glows and flies, attack it. I do not glow and fly. Danny does."

Open mouthed, the goth girl gapped. "But he's your brother."

Jazz waved a finger. "A version of my brother that I was unfamiliar with at the time. And I was focused on helping Danny and strengthening my focus on him when I failed, that when I reacted to a ghost, the ghost I kept hitting was always Danny. Danny probably would have done the same if our roles had been switched and I was the one flying about. But it's not an issue now that I am more familiar to his black hazmat suit and white hair."

The red head beamed brightly; pleased her reactions had been retrained to that exception. Because her little brother was exceptional.

Sam sat in stunned silence.

"You are probably the best, and the only one who has, in easily taking out Danny."

Smiling a bit, Jazz stood and teased the other girl.

"Well, yes. That is why I am Ghost-Getter number one."


	15. Teachers are stupid (Steadfast)

Contrary to what their students believed, the teachers of Casper High School were not stupid.

* * *

After he sucked the Box Ghost into the cylindrical container of doom and escaped the danger of his own parents, Danny ran back to his parents. Mr. Lancer said words of assurance to his parents about how he had just told them that their son was fine and merely using the restroom.

Danny glanced curiously at the man. Lancer covered for him? While he didn't know for sure if Mr. Lancer had figured it all out or just that Danny helped Phantom in some way, it was weirdly pleasant to have an adult on his side for ghost activities.

Sam and Tucker, they had his back with this stuff. Jazz had even started piping in and offering excuses whenever he ran off. She was pretty observant, but Danny thought his big sister was just rolling with the change. Vlad knew but wasn't an adult to be trusted. Then any other adults were pretty much untrustable when it came to the Phantom side of things. Not that he really blamed them. To do that would be blaming his parents too. But in general, adults lay way on the other side of the line with a different sort of power and considered to be stupid with anything of real importance.

"Hey Mr. Lancer. You should get that bookcase over there," Danny pointed out.

"And why's that Mr. Fenton?"

Danny offered the older man a smile. "Because it held up under attack."

"I'll hold you to that Mr. Fenton. If that bookcase is ever destroyed in my classroom, I will hold you to that."


	16. Citizens always flee ghost towns (Duo)

Contrary to reputation and citizens always fleeing from ghost towns, Amity Park was a nice place to live.

* * *

Racing up the steps of Casper High School, the blonde beauty caught sight of the famous duo. Pearly whites shone. "Good morning Tory!"

The brunette turned. "Morning Brianna."

"Hey Dani."

"Blondie," the other replied simply. Her nose wrinkled at the intrusion, words stashed behind pursed lips. Brianna paused, unsure of what she had done to annoy the more vocal of the duo, but shrugged it away.

"How was your weekend?"

The dark haired girl beamed at the question, annoyance flashing away. Brianna grinned back glad at her amazing luck. While famous, the duo were B-Listers. Worth including and invites, but not top of school material. Personally, Brianna adored the duo rather than the older trio. With Tory such a peacemaker, she was recognized and at disadvantage. That girl could get along with anyone. No tough skin for the harsh realities of cliques. But Brianna adored Tory for her kindness. It was a strength of its own.

"I was just talking about it," Dani responded brightly. "And my weekend was _awesome_. No ghost issues, which super boring, but me and my favorite sister and brother got all dolled up for the most epic family photos ever. Totally not a _drag_ ," she claimed. The girl nudged her best friend with a grin. "I'm so letting _you_ in on the secret when they come out."

Tory smiled back easily. "I look forward to it Danielle."

Her best friend scowled, playfully poking. "You're so lucky you're you."

Brianna laughed, tucking her blonde strands back. True. No one but Tory got away with calling the stubborn and willful Dani by full name.

Fierce and loyal, Dani was quick to react and speak. Opinionated. Several other A-Listers tended not to get over that. After two years of school together, that girl had managed to offend everyone in the class. But it was that same reason she was the defender to Tory's peacekeeper. They balanced each other out, together balancing Amity Park.

"Oh sure, laugh it up blondie," snarked Dani. "You're not so lucky that you're her."

"Danielle."

"Fine." Blue sleeves crossed across a chest. The pout didn't last long as per typical Dani fashion, she spurred on. "So, the other two still haven't shown up. Which is weird, right? Think I need to go to the Ghost Zone and see what's going on?"

"I'm sure they'll be here soon," Tory assured her.

Dani's shoulders fell. Brianna laughed. "I think Dani wanted a fight."

"Exactly! It _was_ a boring weekend," Dani agreed with Brianna quickly. "I'm thinking maybe Walker tried to get Wulf again."

"Walker hasn't been an issue since the rules were publicized across the Ghost Zone."

"Or maybe Skulker went overboard with his hunting," Dani continued. "Or maybe the vultures reappeared. Or Boxy went back to taking over with—"

"Good morning Box Ghost."

"Beware and greetings Tortoise," he exclaimed back brightly. The claw ripped ghost portal disappeared behind him. Dani threw her hands into the air at the sight of him. Brianna laughed. It was no secret the Box Ghost had long made favorites with the ghost representative of Amity Park and enjoyed antagonizing the young defender. "For I have come bearing one most prized!"

"Um, it isn't the Lunch Lady is it?"

Brianna fought a wince at the memory. Dani outright scoffed. "Yeah, like that trial worked well. Lunchy works best with lots of meat and with Doraoooh! Boxy! She's cute!"

Pulling the child around him, the Box Ghost steered the child forward with pride. "This is our daughter Box Lunch! I, the Box Ghost, tell her all about you and what you have done for me! Box Lunch has been demanding to meet Tortoise!"

With a determined scowl, the small ghost girl flew to Tory and pushed an object into her hands. Dani snorted, looking away as she laughed, yet the Box Ghost still went off on her about it. Brianna barely glanced over at the typical arguments and insulting digs they shot each other, peering at Tory's gift curiously. It was, not that surprisingly, a lunch box. Carefully designed with the briefest sheen of a sparkle in the intricate yellow lines, was a darling box tortoise. Inspecting it with a turn, 'Tory' was written in cursive letters on the other side.

"Thank you Box Lunch," Tory thanked sincerely with a smile. "I'll be sure to use it well. Did you make it yourself?"

Pig tails bobbed.

Brianna broke. "Can you make me one?"

The tiny ghost girl broke, her scowl disappearing into a shy smile.

"You are totally being added to my list of reasons why Amity Park is a great place to live," Brianna gushed. She flashed a bright smile at Box Lunch, swearing she saw a blush. "The best moving service of literally flying them in and out, a ghost teacher who gives the best accounts of history around, and the famous duo responsible for creating the harmony with the supernatural to give that sort of one of a kind unrivaled fantasy experience."

The duo stared at Brianna. Dani's face went red. "And this is why I'm not ever gunna be best friends with you blondie," she sputtered out angrily with a pointing finger. "You're such a squealing and fainting fangirl."

Brianna sniffed, putting her nose in the air. "I don't faint Dani. And that doesn't change the fact Amity Park has a waiting list to live here."

Both went deep red. With a snarl, Dani dragged Tory inside, complaining and insulting the blonde A-Lister the entire time. It was far, far too much fun to fangirl and sing praise to her real life heroes. Brianna grinned and flounced into the school building to get to her first class with Ghost Writer.


	17. Teachers are stupid (Failure)

Contrary to what their students believed, the teachers of Casper High School were not stupid.

* * *

Secretly, Danny became aware of what he was doing. And by Mr. Lancer's grins and dry remarks, he was aware of it too. Danny made sure ghost attacks never hit that classroom.

After all, the bookcase decorated with the Milky Way sat inside and Danny considered it fully his. He'd even named it, taped the name on it too.

It was the bookcase full of books containing adventures and journeys. It was where Danny had sneaked a few superhero comic books with their journeys. Where Mr. Lancer then added the 'Tales of Danny Phantom: Articles, Stories, and Theories from Amity Park Citizens' book next to where Danny had put the comic books. Volume one from before and volume two released after the secret came out. Tucker and Sam had been hinting lately at adding their own adventure book to the shelf too.

When Johnny 13's shadow took out the Space Shelf near the end of Danny's senior year, he wasn't in the least bit pleased.

But when Mr. Lancer reminded him that he was holding him accountable on the bookcase being destroyed in his classroom and then smiling, Danny wasn't the least bit reassured.


	18. He never pays attention to parental work

Contrary to what Danny believed, he actually did pay attention to his parents' work.

* * *

Scribbling fiercely and desperately playing catch up from a busy weekend of ghost fighting and thoughts of fun, Danny's focus remained firmly on his homework. Sort of. He was vaguely aware of Sam and Tucker starting up an argument behind him, their homework done. And although he was going quickly, he wasn't paying the closest of attention to the detail of his work. Well he was at least writing! Give him some credit.

'It was during this time that the trade of…'

"Salt just seems silly Sam."

'…salt went up for the settlers…'

"And Dean are characters who fight ghosts, demons, and other paranormal things in the book series."

'…due to the increase of ghost activity…'

"Ask Danny's parents about iron and pure things."

'…noticed by hunters who laid down an iron pentagon…"

"Danny."

Danny jolted a bit, glancing up at Sam and Tucker staring at him. "Just a second," he said and absentmindedly finished his sentence. "Protecting everyone inside miles of affected area. Okay, what was it?"

Tucker leaned over his work. "What did you just write down for the trade history of Wyoming?"

He looked back down, rereading it. "Whoops. Totally wasn't paying attention to that one. What were you two arguing about anyway? I caught pieces of it."

"Sam's book," Tucker answered. "It goes on about how pure things like salt and iron are used by the hunters in there to fight ghosts."

"The two brothers, Dean and Sam were raised to fight them that way along with other supernatural creatures," Sam explained further. "I checked online and it seems to be a topic discussed several times, so I wondered if there was any truth to it."

"Yeah," he responded. "It's the old and traditional method. Which is why my parents are considered nuts with not just most normal people but most hunters in general with their scientific methods of using ecto…"

Danny trailed off and blinked.

"Wait. Are you talking about Sam and Dean? They are uh…John's kids. Yeah. Pretty sure his first name was John."

"You've read—"

"Not a pleasant guy," Danny drifted on to himself towards the wall. "Yelling at my parents about some demony thing in Amity Park."

His two friends gapped at him. He looked back from talking at the wall to catch the look, scowling. Danny quickly defended himself on his knowledge. "I _only_ remember 'cause Jazz's first crush was on crushable Sam. Ah boy," he sighed. "Was that a fun few weeks when I noticed _that_ one. She went dumb silent."

He snickered at the memory. Tucker's face lit up a bit. "I remember that. We escaped a bad babysitting time with Jazz by mentioning his name."

"They're _real_?" Sam sputtered out.


	19. Teachers are stupid (Retake)

Contrary to what their students believed, the teachers of Casper High School were not stupid.

* * *

Getting Dani and her friend to wrangle the Space Shelf back to life thanks to Desiree was easy. Getting Sam to not give him a makeover by pointing out the girly nature was impossible. Tucker even laughed, reminding Danny of how Sam had been in charge of Tucker's own gothic makeover. Danny groaned.

But wielding weapons of words, he made sure he wasn't going down alone.

Jazz had actually been easy to take down. He had reminded Dani that she was a Fenton and she dragged her big sister right into it with puppy eyes.

Of course, they all had to promise to not say a word to the student body that still believed Mr. Lancer had a sister, but the punishment Danny was taking was practically worth it to see his teacher in drag. With Sam's resources, he actually looked like a passable lady rather than a strange looking tomboy woman.

Tucker and Sam giggled like maniacs behind the camera.

"It's not just your parents, all you Fentons are weird."

Dani beamed at the inclusion. It beat the embarrassment of what Tucker said and Danny smiled at the younger girl's delight. Jazz kept a fixed smile for the entire clicking time.

"Now, now, now," said a high falsetto voice. "Don't be making fun of my children. We're all weird. Now children, don't forget to say 'drag' instead of 'cheese' or 'ghost'. Three, two, one. Draaag!"

All three Fentons died, figuratively, of laughter as they sputtered it out.

"Ha," Mr. Lancer said dryly. "Who said I was a drag?"

"Oh, not us Mr. Lancer," Sam and Tucker chimed in together.


	20. Hunter: Devoted to destroying all ghosts

Contrary to what his friends believed, she stopped hunting Danny before she knew he was Danny.

* * *

When exactly she paused, Valerie was unsure until she realized she was watching and not acting. Angered at herself, she lifted up the weapon and aimed. The target didn't react. She scowled. The weapon fell back to her side. Attacking the target unaware as she hid felt wrong. Hunting spooks had never felt wrong before.

But he had gone out of his way to protect Dani.

He! When had he become a he? This was the spook that destroyed her life! The same one responsible for that ghost dog.

'Hey boy. Is this what you've been looking for? No, no, it's okay. Does you want your squeaky? Oh does you? Here you go. Now please, just go home and stay there!'

And…helped the cursed dog.

Most everything he did to seem more human and hero drove her nuts. He seemed to soak up the attention and made quips to entertain. Yet there had been a panic that even Valerie believed with saving Dani. That night left her to question things, even though she continued on as usual. It hadn't all been for nothing. Not all of her hard work and determination was nothing now, it had been the correct action to do with all these spooks. But this showy spook had no audience to fool. None he knew of anyway.

Phantom stuck his tongue out a bit, eyebrows furrowed in concentration as he spun on the court. His tailor-made basketball glowed in the dark as it bounced with him. Dribbling between his legs, he faked a pass to his right, and then exploded off to his left for a layup. Two points, Valerie tallied silently. Phantom grinned and went back down the court with the ball. Feeling good about the made shot, he did a quick dribble forward and shot it. It arched up. Valerie moved her head to see the arc and shook her head. The possible three points hit the rim and careened away.

"Ah shoot!"

He chased down the light green ball and turned around to face the basket. Contemplating, he then squeezed the ball and dispersed it. "Was never good at sports anyway," he muttered to himself and flopped to the ground.

Not good at sports? Valerie was a bit shocked at that. Phantom always seemed so athletic and agile to her. Ha. Maybe she'd have a better chance beating the spook if she challenged him to some one on one.

Little sparks of green flew up from where he lay and Valerie could barely hear his voice. The faintness made the ever present echo fade away and he sounded like any other…human. He sounded as if he was just another kid in her class. She frowned to herself. What did he think himself as? He couldn't be a human obviously. But she doubted he really thought of himself as a ghost. Could it be he was similar to Dani…or the dirty deceitful Vlad?

Quiet, she tilted her head from the bushes to see and listen better, curious for the first time about the dangerous spook.

"Betelgeuse…Rigel…Bellatrix…Saiph," he said to each glowing dot he added above his head. What was the spook doing? Aiming carefully as he lay there, he added a few more. "There's Orion, the Hunter."

He was…drawing in the air? With dots? Who were all these people? More ghosts? Who had a name like Betelgeuse?

"Alkaid, Mizar, Alioth, Megrez, Phecda, Merak, Dubhe…there's the Big Dipper."

Startled, Valerie went wide eyed. Phantom was naming and creating the constellations? He added a few more points above him. "And inside Ursa Major, the Great Bear as it should be. North being…that way. That way… Crud! I'm late!"

Scrambling up, he flew away from the park. Late for what Valerie thought crossly. She itched to follow but she was sure to get caught. She froze. Caught? As in not hunting the spook but spying on him? Seeing that even with no audience, he didn't behave like most spooks and more like an…interesting…and kind of cute…teen boy?

Figuring she was far too deep into her pause and may as well go all out on her crazy questioning of ghosts, Valerie dashed over to where Phantom had laid and followed suit. She looked up to the darkness and stormy night clouds.

The ghost energy twinkled, still lingering.

"Wow. That's a beautiful night sky," she breathed in awe.

Valerie lifted up a hand and touched the stars.


	21. Teachers are stupid (Nephew)

Contrary to what their students believed, the teachers of Casper High School were not stupid.

* * *

Danny peeked into the classroom and saw the Space Shelf.

A picture of Mr. Lancer's sister and her three laughing children sat propped prominently displayed. He grinned at it, wondering what the story was now. Then wondered if any students saw past the disguises. Maybe it was just him but he thought it was obvious.

But when he dashed down to the gymnasium for the awards banquet honoring the bald teacher, he found it apparently was not. The high school students happily directed him over to the table reserved for Mr. Lancer's family. Several of the boys asked about the availability of Mr. Lancer's youngest niece, failing to realize it was their own classmate.

Other teachers grinned at him as he made his way past and seated next to Jazz and Dani, who were both also dolled up thanks to Sam.

Ishiyama leaned over. "So nice to meet you three at last. I find it surprising Mr. Lancer finally roped you in to visit him at the ghost capital of the world." They were only slightly surprised they agreed to dress up like this again. It was a special occasion of sorts. "I hear from your uncle you have a prostate issue? Feel free to fly past me to use the restroom if you need to."

Dani cracked up into giggles.

"Fly past," Danny said humorously. "Good one. Hear that little girl? The nephew is special at the ghost capital."

Dani straightened. "So is the niece. I got a prostate issue too."

With that, Mr. Lancer's oldest niece was the only one to fly past Ishiyama that night. Tetslaff's barking laughter from the next table over covered any sound coming from Jazz.


	22. Danny, Top A-Lister

Contrary to his fellow nerds, Mikey held firm the worst A-Lister was Danny.

* * *

Shoving his books off, Dash continued his conversation with the rest of the popular flock of sheep trailing him. Belatedly, Kwan turned and handed off his notebook. Mikey accepted the additional homework, flipping through it for a moment to purposely linger for a bit as he always did.

Looked like a good three page paper for Health class was in here, he mused, trotting along behind the jocks. Glancing up, he caught sight of Danny Fenton down the hall in a panic, before ducking into a janitor's closet. Tucker Foley and Samantha Manson leaned against the door, like a set of knightly bookends. Mikey nodded at Tucker as he passed by, curiously glancing back for a moment to see if Danny would pop back out after Dash walked past.

The proclaimed goth glared nastily at him.

Mikey spun his head back around, quick to catch back up with the tail end of the popular group, heart pounding. Then he turned his head back around and shot a small burst of a glare back. She wasn't even looking at his bit of bravery. But Tucker smiled nervously and offered a tiny wave at him. Mikey grinned a little, bouncing along.

He returned to flipping through Kwan's notebook, reading the work. Out of all the A-Listers, Mikey believed he had the best one. Kwan was more reserved, the perfect person to offset Dash. Whenever Kwan was missing, it was as though Dash felt a bit lost when he turned to not see his best friend and got into worse antics. In time, Mikey believed, Kwan would rub off of Dash more and Dash's brash ways would rub off on Kwan. It was then he knew Kwan would get a spine and speak against bullying.

Sure, the big guy wasn't perfect, but Mikey liked him. Kwan knew he was bottom rung and typically didn't bully unless the rest of the group looked at him funny. When he did pick on anyone else without peer pressure, he wasn't aware of it until Mikey pointed it out. And Kwan never did it again, apologizing profusely.

Unlike Danny.

Mikey liked Danny as a person, but his short time as an A-Lister showed Mikey a completely different person. Unlike treating Mikey as usual, Danny took full advantage of his new found popular status. Mikey was just someone to push off everything onto. Everything. With Kwan, there was something akin to friendship and definitely kindness.

"GHOST!"

And the next thing he knew, he was shoved forward and pushed out the door. The large hand that shoved him fisted around the back of his shirt and kept him from falling.

Mikey turned. "Thanks Kwan."

The big guy nodded back and hurried to Dash so that they could watch Danny Phantom battling a larger mechanical ghost. It was the usual, Mikey noted briefly. He wondered curiously once again on how one would make a pelt from a ghost. Flicking his eyes up to keep sights on where the typical fight was taking place, he finished reading what Kwan had handed off to him. Kwan was a guy who put in the work needed for sports and schoolwork, never shoving it onto Mikey. And honestly, Mikey glanced up to see the fight still going on over the football field, Kwan was smart. It wasn't Mikey getting those high grades for his A-Lister.

There was a poke in his side, a question. Mikey stuck a thumb up in the air, sneaking a glance over to see Kwan grin for a second, before his attention went back to the ghost fight enthralling the rest of the A-Listers.

All Mikey did was type out Kwan's papers, since his favorite A-Lister had no computer at his house.


	23. A taught hate always perpetuates

Contrary to being raised on hatred, falling in love with who she shouldn't came easy.

* * *

Despite the constant activity that should have had her out of breath, Dani screamed. Even though none of those around her were friend or family, she grabbed a hold and jumped with them. The smell of sweat was sweet. She was strong and they were strong. The ghost moderator bounced reassuringly about her neck. It made the feeling of the team's victory even better.

The girls' basketball team had just won the game that secured their place as Conference Champions. Dani's mind raced with possibilities to come after this night, high in the win of a close game. She would have to check her stats later and probably talk to some quick to smile press dude. Casper High students and fans poured onto the gym floor, congratulating her and the rest. She grinned back, too pumped and thrilled with victory to care if they were just trying to brush shoulders with her newly elevated fame. Tomorrow she would go back to her snark in the school hallways.

Right now, she had one thing in mind.

Dani elbowed and weaved her way through the masses, still grinning at everyone who quickly patted her on her back.

A large boisterous voice rang over all the noise. But she had been listening for it. Dani spurted up the bleachers.

"Way to go Dani-girl!"

"J-man!" She leapt up and attached onto his arm. "How'd you like the game?"

"It was the best so far Dani-girl and that play in the last 4 seconds right after you stole the ball—"

Her arms detached for demonstration, flaying about excitably. "And then I faked it and then threw it to Katie who had gotten open because of my fake—"

"That definitely should have been a call!" Orange flashed as he crossed his arms, showing the visual. The big guy grinned. "Not that it mattered because she made it in any way!"

"Okay you two. You played excellent out there Dani."

Both turned at the calmer voice. Despite the reprimand, the woman was smiling brightly. Dani grinned wide at the pride toned in the woman's voice. "That's right. I'm awesome. Did you see us out there? We all were in the zone and it was spectacular!"

"You were spectacular!"

"See?" Dani laughed loudly at the big guy's agreement, which had his wife shaking her head with a smile. Waving her arms up in the air, Dani reiterated gleefully, "I'm spectacular!"

Grabbing a hold of Dani, he ruffled up her hair as he laughed with her.

"Are you heading out with the team after this?"

"Yeah. I'll call when I know where and before I get back, 'kay?"

"That's fine Dani," she answered. "You have fun and be careful."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I will, I will." Dani rolled her eyes at this, but smiled at the concern.

"Don't worry so much Maddie! She's a tough cookie my Dani-girl! She'll be fine! Do you think we can stop for cookies on the way home? And maybe some fudge?"

"Now Jack dear…"

Hopeful, the man danced in the spot.

"I'll bring you some back J-man," Dani promised and gave a quick kiss to his cheek before dashing back down the bleachers. The big guy's vocal celebration behind her had Dani chuckling.

Then, she smacked and bounced off of Danny, who was coming back with free at the end of the game popcorn. He grinned. "Nice game little miss basketball. You, are such a daddy's girl."

Teasing back, she pushed him. "You're such a mamma's boy. But me? I'm no daddy's girl." The parental term brought back thoughts of Vlad and she saw his smile falter a bit from his tease. Danny stuttered, but Dani puffed out her chest proudly. "I'm J-man's girl. Much better than a mere everyday daddy's girl or mamma's boy."

With that, she stuck out a tongue and leapt back to the celebration.


	24. Mayor's office always honors your wishes

Contrary to what the mayor's office tried, Tucker was an experienced power tripper.

* * *

Not caring what the adults would think, Tucker Foley spun the chair in circles. Fumbling, he snagged onto the mayor desk and jerked to a halt. Cracking his neck one way and then the other, he let out a noise of relief. He leaned back over the computer from his small break and went back to informationland, gathering up all he needed for a legislative action he was recommending. Might as well do what he wanted if he still held a pushing title, right?

He glanced up to make sure any adults near had left the vicinity after his childish display, then clicked a hidden tab and emailed himself what he had gathered up on how exactly he had become the new mayor. He snorted. The office had pushed for him, because while one had to be a certain age to vote, there was nothing stating the mayor had to be a certain age to be elected. They had thought he'd be a nice figurehead, telling the 'little kid' what to do. After Vlad, they had been desperate to get someone who was the opposite and in the know how with ghosts. Apparently, the Fentons had immediately been crossed off the list due to their reputations otherwise. He and Sam were close to the Fentons, but they didn't want her. Sam was too rebellious for them.

So they pushed Tucker though to push around as their figurehead instead. Personally, Tucker enjoyed calling them idiots in his head and abusing his power. He would do what he wanted if they had gone to all that trouble for him. They could send the power trippy 'little kid' all the nasty looks they wanted. He had a worldwide superhero and a rich political investor for his two best friends. And now ammunition for anyone in the mayor office who would finally stand up against the three of them. Tucker grinned and closed the tab with the sensitive evidence.

"No, no! Mayor Foley isn't in there! You can't go in!"

Startled at the desperate cry, Tucker looked to the door. His secretary was attempting to hold a group of people from walking in. Annoyed with how the adults treated him and the town as things to push around and lord about, Tucker stuck up his hand and waved.

"Yes, yes, yes. Mayor Foley is in here and he says they can come in."

The older woman shot him a scowl that made Tucker's previously earned glares from her pale in comparison. Score. He smiled cheekily back. Then saw who she had been attempting to stop from entering and understood the ten plus scowl. Tucker shot up and bounded over to greet them gleefully.

"Hey. We called as we were flying in to ask your secretary to see you. We are in need of information of a criminal who is giving us trouble in Jump City and saw his last activity had come from Amity Park."

"Woah. Come'on," whined one of their group loudly. "Look at him! He can't be the mayor! He's our age!"

The dark haired girl next to him gave him a look. The one in disbelief wilted and inched away from her to whisper to the rest. "Come'on, seriously? He's like…fifteen. He can't even vote."

Tucker snickered. "Sixteen and no I cannot, but that doesn't stop me from being awesome." He heard a slam and sneaked a glance over to see his secretary's head on her desk. Double score awesome. "By the way, I'm totally going to want information back from that guy there. I want that tech. And maybe a date."

The two girls shot him matching looks.

"What? Prom's coming up. Sure you don't want to dance with Lucky Tuck, the young buck of a mayor?"

The two girls shot him matching glares.

"Yuck," stated the dark haired girl in a monotone voice. Startled, the loud whiner cracked up into laughter. "That's a good one Rae!"

"We'll see about that," stated the leader diplomatically. "We were hoping to talk to any officers that brought this guy in or the hero of the town who was thought to be the thief in the first place."

"Oh! That's easy enough. Danny's out on patrol nearby. I'll just give a heads up to the girls that I'm calling him in."

"You have him on the dial of speed," asked the red haired girl curiously.

"Yep. Benefits of being his best friend." He caught the other curious looks by the group as he picked up the Fenton Phone sitting on his desk, putting it into his ear. "You are talking about Freakshow, correct?"

"Yes," stated the leader deftly.

"Hey Danny. I got some people at the office who want to talk to you about Freakshow. He's out and loose in Jump City apparently. Uh, Sam, he's not here. Besides, Freakshow doesn't have the Crystal Ball Staff anymore. Yeah, Danny, they just want to talk about him for information. So Valerie, Jazz, and Sam you're going to be on patrol for… Er, wait. Sam might know more. Do you still have his book? Cool. Is there any way you two to bring it? Sweet. Who from Jump City? Oh," Tucker dragged the word out and grinned at the group gathered in his mayor office. "Just the Teen Titans."

By the time Danny and Sam arrived together with the book, Tucker was in an invested conversation with an athletic looking boy half made of cybernetics. An excitable boy with green skin kept jumping into the conversation with them. Their conversation jumped from Doomed to Mega Monkeys 4 to computer codes to science fiction movies and then to an argument concerning meat. A set of dark heads were bent over a computer, relaying out a few tidbits to Tucker of Jump City legislative, so he could refer to in setting up similar ones in Amity Park such as for dealing with superpowered collateral damage to the town. A cheerful red head flew over to greet them as they arrived, hugging them for dear life.

"New friends! Friend Tucker told us much about you! It is so nice to meet you!"

Awkward, Danny greeted her back while Sam attempted to breathe again. The secretary at the door grumbled angrily, her words loud enough for them to hear her complaints.

Confused, the red head looked over to the open doorway and then to the cybernetic boy. "Why does she complaining of tripping power?"

"Uh…Star? I don't think she was talking about circuits. Why is your secretary complaining of more power tripping from you?"

"Because I do," Tucker chuckled.

Sam grinned broadly. "That's our pharaoh! Any word on that town garden?"

"A…town garden?" The leader looked between them all in confusion. "Why the power trip needed on such a thing? Are you doing the same for the legislation you're looking into?"

"Yep. Gunna do what I want if they went to all that trouble to make me the mayor."

"They thought they could push Tucker around," Sam explained in a peeved voice. "But I'm putting Manson money behind him."

"And the highly beloved hero who just saved the world is your best friend," the leader said in realization. He smiled a little at Tucker. "I think information passed to you for the information we came here for can be arranged."

Both sets of teenaged groups of heroes grinned all at each other. Tucker heard rhythmic thumping. Triple score and home run epictacular.


	25. Her classmate was dead (Found)

Contrary to the majority belief, Maddie believed that Vlad was still alive.

* * *

Hooting and hollering entered the silence of the downstairs lab. Glancing over at Jack who was currently occupied with testing out a new device, Maddie made her way upstairs to the laughter.

Sam and Tucker were there in the hallway. She had a very distinctive 'are you kidding me' look upon her face. He was snickering and snorting. Maddie froze, feeling very much caught in the act and baffled at her son's reaction.

Danny continued rolling around on the ground, clutching a box to his chest as tears poured out of his eyes.

The hallway door was wide open, the collection Maddie had placed inside displayed for the world to see. She had no doubts as to locking it, how was it open right now… Danny.

Bouncing up, his cheeks still bright from laughter, Danny tugged at Sam with his free hand. The other kept a hold of the box. "Come on guys! Oooh! Mom! You can come too!"

Dashing about the kitchen in spurts of laughter, Danny set the table for all of them. Lifting up a spoon that dripped milk onto the table, Danny toasted. "To one seriously crazed up fruit loop!"

His two friends lifted up their own spoons to meet her son's spoon. Sam had a smile at Danny's antics, while Tucker chuckled nearly as loudly as him. Maddie observed her son as he took in the humor of the situation and found herself chuckling at Vlad as well. Worries on the ties between them faded away as she saw her son laughing. Danny wasn't blaming himself. It was the first time she saw him without worry about Vlad.

She tapped her own spoon against the others.

"Uh." Danny's smile faltered a bit. "Mom, hey, I'm sorry that you and dad's college classmate was uh…"

Understanding Danny's reactions about Vlad around her now, Maddie reached out and grasped his hand. "It's okay Danny."

"Okay, I'll say it then," Tucker stated decisively. "That he was such a cheesehead."

"I never understood that," Maddie admitted. "And he was always so proud of his Packer collection even in college. Did I ever tell you Danny when he—"

"Guuuuys!" Jazz's voice echoed with panic. "Why is the hallway closet filled to the brim with Fruit Loops?"

"Because filling it with cats proved to be too difficult," Danny shouted back.

The trio of teenagers cracked up into laughter and Maddie gave a small wave when her daughter burst into the kitchen, full of bewilderment and alarm.


	26. Jazz is an adult

Contrary to Danny's belief of her being an adult, Jazz was perfectly capable of drawing out her inner child.

* * *

Watching Danny strut his way upstairs, Tucker turned to Sam and Jazz. "He's starting to become unbearable again."

Sam snorted. "You think?"

"Danny has been too proud before?" Jazz questioned as she took a sip of her drink.

Sam and Tucker rolled their eyes at her. "Have you met your brother Jazz? Brushes with popularity have never gone well."

Tucker smirked over at Sam, nudging her. "Be glad he isn't still all 'Paulina, Paulina, Paulina, Paul—'"

"We get it," Sam snapped back and shoved him back. Tucker snickered anyway.

"Hmm," Jazz pondered and glanced up to the ceiling thoughtfully. "Leave my brother to me. I'm part of your team now, aren't I?"

The other two glanced at each other over the kitchen table. "Uh…Danny doesn't exactly listen and take advice when he's like this. Trust me Jazz," Sam declared. "If he doesn't listen to us like this, he is definitely going to roll his eyes at you. You're not… You get overly wordy."

Jazz sipped her drink again. She smiled at the pair. "I don't plan on using words. Just plan on helping speed up his…infatuation with himself."

"Er…okay," Tucker drew out in confusion.

"You two want to come to the hardware store with me for some paint," Jazz asked. "And to the mall for a few things? Oh and I've had my eye on a couple cute little things online if you would help me out Tucker."

"Okay, color me interested," Sam declared. "Let's go shopping. On me."

\- . . / . - - .

"Hey Jazz," Danny's voice entered into his sister's room. Jazz looked up at his befuddled face. "Do you know anything about my logo glowing on my bedroom ceiling?"

"Oh that's nifty," Jazz responded absentmindedly as she went back to her homework. "Did Sam or Tucker do that for you?"

"Well not that it's not awesome." Danny puffed his chest out a little. "It's just odd to find it suddenly shining down at me from the ceiling like that."

Jazz eyed him from the corner of her eye, noting the chest puff. "Uh huh…"

\- . . / . - - .

"Hey Fentino," Dash shouted out gleefully. He ran through the boys' locker room, clothes held up high. "Too slow loser!" The impromptu flag raced out of the locker room, leaving Danny stunned in only a white towel.

Ducking his head into his own locker to hide his guilt and smile, Tucker looked back to his friend with an annoyed look. "Took him long enough to pull that stupid signature bully act. Here dude." Tucker handed over a plastic bag over to Danny. "Sam and I had a bag ready for it."

Danny sighed in relief, taking the bag, but paused as he opened it. "Uh…Tucker?"

"So Sam themed it." Tucker shrugged. He couldn't hold back the snicker though at Danny's face as he held up the boxers with mini Danny Phantoms flying all over it.

\- . . / . - - .

"Uh Jazz. What's Dash doing here?" Danny froze at the entrance to the kitchen.

"Studying. What does it look like Fenturd?" The larger boy rolled his eyes. "Your puckish sister owed me a favor from something I did for her."

"Nice use of the word puckish," Jazz acknowledged. Dash grinned broadly, and then looked back to Danny.

"Nice outfit Fenton."

Hastily, Danny went upstairs to his room.

\- . . / . - - .

Turning on his computer in his room, Danny put in his password and then went pale at what appeared. His jaw dropped slightly. Music came out of the speakers as a Danny Phantom flew dramatically across the screen.

His ghost form had been drawn into a Powerpuff Girl.

Music matching.

Danny's voice shrieked, "Seriously?!"

\- . . / . - - .

"Hey Danny. I heard a shout from up here earlier, are you okay?"

Danny looked over at his sister who stood at his bedroom door. Not wanting to show her what had been on his now turned off computer, he shook his head. "No. I'm fine," his voice quavered a bit. "Just going to murder Tucker for a pran… What are you holding?"

"Oh this?" Jazz beamed and held it up. "Isn't it adorable? I even got a matching one for you."

Blue eyes wide, Danny stared at the stuffed animal as if it were going to leap over and bite him. Jazz held it out towards him, it sitting on the palms of her hands. Danny leaned back. Black with white clad feet, a scruffy white mane and tail, the stuffed horse looked at him with bright green eyes.

"Ooh! It even has your logo for its cutie mark," Jazz added brightly. She turned her hands so Danny could see his ghost logo on the horse's bottom. "It's styled after the 'My Little Pony' show I loved when I was little."

"NOOO! Nonononono! That's wrong! I'm not a pony! I'm not meant to be worn as some sort of fashionable apparel! And I'm definitely not some Powerpuff Girl!"

"So you're done being full of yourself?" Jazz asked curiously.

Startled, Danny looked at his older sister to see her smiling at him.

"YOU?! IT WAS YOU?! But, but, but—"

"Catch." Jazz tossed the stuffed animal at her little brother. Still in shock, he caught it automatically and stared at it. "That one was yours. Mine is in my room. Now don't be losing it Danny. I bought it for you now. Treat it well."

She left his bedroom, Danny gapping soundlessly.


	27. Dash never works well with others

Contrary to his previous cheating, Dash was totally up for Danny to do it again.

* * *

"Wait, wait, wait," Sam said. Incredulously, she stared at Danny with a gapping jaw and tugged him away from the table. "You and Dash are working together?"

"Um…" Danny glanced back to the table where Dash was giving an amused grin at them. "Yeah? It's not exactly the first time."

"Do you not remember last time you did something like this?"

"What? Oh. Jezz Sam. I'm not planning on needing any pumpkins," Danny replied crossly. "I know about that now. Besides, we're asking this time. I'm not taking. Actually, he didn't care about the cheating, he was all for me doing that again. But we agreed to have swords in all of them. In honoring of that or him or something."

"But it's…it's Dash," she said in disbelief.

"And Tucker," Danny was quick to respond. He leaned in close. "Look, I get Dash and I haven't had the best past, but he's not nearly as terrible. Even before the whole Disasteriod thing he wasn't as bad as way back in freshman year. Admit it. We may never be friends, but he's really not that bad. I kinda like the guy. Besides…he ran up to me in the hallway all determined and bright eyed about demanding this being done. Us three are just stamping out details before getting some others to help in setting it up."

Sam crossed her arms. "School council still has to vote on it."

Danny chuckled. "They'd be brain dumb idiots not to choose it. Dash isn't wrong about _that_."

"Are you lovebirds done yet?"

The pair turned around, cheeks red. "We're not lovebirds!"

Tucker and Dash cracked up into laughter and high fived each other over the table. Staring, Sam shook her head. If anyone had said this would happen in their previous high school years, _she_ would be the one calling them brain dumb idiots.

"Dude, planning session?"

Dash pointed at one of the papers in front of him. "Yeah, I really want the pirate, but Tucker keeps arguing against him. Back me up here."

"Oh, yeah no. He's pretty stubborn and right now is not pirate," Danny responded. Sam watched as Danny joined the table once again, all three of the boys leaning forward with enthusiasm. Conversation, banter, and arguments all flowed together with furious finger pointing and hand gestures as the papers traveled between them. Well, she admitted with grudging, they were doing fine. After watching a few minutes more, she left the absorbed group alone.

Four days later, when the school council announced the winning vote, the entire school was animated and filled with Halloween craze and gusto for the big fall dance. After all, like Dash said, they'd be brain dumb idiots not to choose it. What would you do for Halloween at Amity Park's Casper High School, the home of the ghostly hero of Danny Phantom?

Actual ghosts was a given.

The trio of boys walked the hallways together that day, chests puffed up in pride. Sam took a picture, for the historic moment. And also to look back on to remember all impossible things that occur were not always because of a ghost like Desiree. Of course Sam knew it actually happened. She grinned at the picture she just took, noticing the toilet paper stuck to Tucker's shoe as they strutted the hallway.

"Get into the ghostly spirit Sam," Tucker said when she told him. Taking his nose out of the air for a while, he lifted up the foot in question to take a sharpie to it. "There."

The three boys grinned at her exasperation and shaking her head, laughing as they continued their march down the hallway. Now with a bit of white waving behind that said 'Ghost it up' to all who saw it.


	28. Just an accident

Contrary to Danny calling it an accident, Clockwork knew it was always meant to happen to one of the Fenton siblings.

* * *

Ducking and diving under the table, the teenagers looked for another means of escape. The lunchroom doors had been barred shut by glowing meat, but a finger pointed the windows up high. Sprinting, the group made for the line of milk coolers to climb on top. Jazz reached around the large blonde jock and grabbed her brother's hand. Danny pulled himself up with her help.

"Thanks Jazz." Face pinched in anxiety, he turned back to those still climbing up. "Help me with Tucker and Sam."

She reached for Sam and he reached for Tucker. Sam crouched down and pulled up one of the other teenagers in the mob below. Together, the four of them began pulling up others and checking on where the ghost rampaged.

The plump female ghost bellowed, noticing the escape of the teenagers. High school students screamed and scrambled over each other as a stream of glowing meat flew across the lunchroom. With a wet slap, the windows were covered and blocked the exit for the remaining students.

"The menu has been the same for 50 years! Lunch is sacred! Lunch has rules!" Changing moods, the ghost pulled out a plate from behind her back. "Anybody want cake?"

The group of students looked to the ghost and each other, confused by the suddenly sweet tone.

"Uhhh, sure?"

"Too bad! Children who change MY menu do not get desserts!"

Feet and hands kicked and pushed, disordered as all of them in a hurry to get out of the way of the next attack. It was chaos. Frozen pork chops hit defenseless bodies. Roasts pinned limbs to the walls. Sausage links tied feet together.

"Hey! Calm down please," Jazz pleaded. She stood up, but ducked momentarily as a hamburger frisbeed at her head. "I understand how lunch should be the same nutritious meals time tested to be what is best for growing children. We can change it back and talk to—"

"I control lunch! Meat is one of the five most important food groups!"

Sparkling clean white plates rocketed across the lunchroom.

"Jazz!"

Danny shot out a hand and Sam grabbed out as well, each yanking her back. Jazz toppled onto her rear on the milk cooler. The plates shattered and she gasped. Sam's eyes went wide at the sight of the blood. A new round of plates soared towards them.

"Hey!" Jazz stood up again, angry, eyes flashing. "No one hurts my brother!"

"No one changes the menu!"

The plates shattered again, this time injuring none of the students, smashing into a bright green shield instead. Tucker joined Sam's efforts to get Danny back toward the wall the cooler was up against, which several students had pushed it out to hide behind it. Danny resisted, gapping at his older sister.

"Jazz?"

Glowing green eyes looked back to the students, to Danny. "I won't let her hurt you," came the promise from her. He and Tucker and Sam gapped together at her. Her cotton candy blue hair was held back by a strawberry pink headband which matched her hazmat suit with white accents. Voice echoing and glowing slightly, she was a ghost. Right where Jazz had stood a second earlier.

The glowing girl turned to focus on the shield around them as another barrage of plates flew forward, this time with silverware.

"That's a ghost," Tucker said numbly. "Who is that? Where did your sister go?"

"Tucker," Sam responded slowly. "I think that is Jazz."

A loud explosion took over the lunchroom, students screaming all over again as they ducked behind the milk coolers, several braver and curious ones peering over the cover. Light blue and bright orange raced through the blasted open door.

"You're going down spooks!"

The elder pair of Fentons went to work, blasting at both ghosts. Danny scrambled off of the milk cooler, panicked and bleeding as he sprinted.

"NO! MOM! DAD! THAT'S JAZZ! THIS IS JA—"

Two simultaneous shots hit the green shield, breaking it, and then the girl with cotton blue hair.

"Stop," Jazz burst out finally. Clockwork paused the screen, before the older Fenton child could see her brother's face. She sniffed a bit, and then turned to the toddler sized ghost. "You said it was always a fifty-fifty between Danny and I. Are you sure? That's the only one? "

"Correct," the man told her. "As I told you. This is the only version when you survive the accident. Danny only had one when he did not survive."

Brows furrowed, Jazz's jaw clenched. "But I'm his older sister. Danny shouldn't have to go through all of this. He's too young."

"Age is not a barrier," the old man stated. "The time was right for your brother and he rose to the occasion spectacularly. At any age, the ability to risk it all for those you care about… Your brother is quite a remarkable person."

Jazz smiled a little at the toddler, nodding. Clockwork continued.

"As you have proven this as well in all the twists and turns which may or may not take place. I saw you even before you came to ask me this, to take on your brother's burden and save him from it. Even if I had not…" The man smiled at her. "I knew you would because I have seen the type of person you are."

Shifting into an old man once again, Clockwork gave Jazz praise and hope before she left. "It is that which aids your brother and helps ease his burdens. You already help him in remaining beside him. I find loyalty is a word many often lack when it comes time. You, as well as his two friends, are a rare thing in this regard, not abandoning when it gets difficult."

Jazz smiled at him. "Thanks Clockwork. I'm sorry for bothering you."

"It was no bother. Wanting to risk your humanity for someone you love is no small thing. I was glad to see you come on his behalf. Take care. You well know that you carry a different kind of ability in risking it for those you care about."

She nodded. "His identity."

"That will not be all," the toddler said sagely. "You are his sister. Times to aid him will come many times. He will always need you."

The smile Jazz had as she left Clockwork's lair was pleased, comforted to hear her little brother would always need her.


	29. She needs a hero

Contrary to what others deemed important, Paulina always knew what she wanted.

* * *

"Wow," Tucker whispered to Danny and Sam. "I think that is the most note taking I've ever seen her do."

Both glanced over to the front of the classroom where the most popular girl was, scribbling with a focus no one had seen previously in school. "I doubt it's schoolwork," Sam said dryly.

"Miss Sanchez, I see you are quite taken by this conflict, could you list the reasons for the tension between—"

"I don't care. I'm doing something important. Why don't you ask Nathan? He cares."

Sam smirked, pleased at being proven correct.

"Miss Sanchez, grades are important for you future and this is something you should start caring about if you want—"

"Grades aren't important. They don't prove who you are or what you can do. Besides, there is far more to life than to what you think is important. As long as I turn in work for you, why do **you** care?"

The teacher pinched the bridge of his nose, sighed, and then called on Nathan.

"Rude, shallow, little," Sam began her familiar rant of the girl under her breath.

Danny and Tucker shared a look, heaving their own sighs at Sam's hatred of Paulina.

"I dunno," Danny whispered as Nathan answered the teacher's question. "I find her strength and determination admirable."

Sam flashed a scowl. Tucker grinned. "Probably why they don't get along. Sam's a strong personality too."

"Paulina is not strong, she's a shallow person with no depth or empathy, just a little princess who cries gimmie to everything that is shiney and glossy," Sam retorted. Carefully, she wrote down what Nathan was saying into her class notebook.

A sharp edge poked at Danny's hand and he turned away to take a note from Spike. The boy went back to filling in a page from his sketchbook under the history textbook. Curious, Danny read his own name written in pink and then unfolded the sheet of notebook paper.

Do you remember when our parents  
were kidnapped by that pirate ghost?  
 _Muchas_ _gracias_. I always thanked Danny  
Phantom for saving us all. My _padre_  
and _madre_ mean so much to me.

But to be honest with you Danny,  
I never did really thank you. You  
really took control and were a hero  
that day. And when your ghost side  
told me to wrap my head around the  
idea of Paulina Fenton, it didn't help.  
Like, I really liked you that day. You  
were never one I took notice of, not  
really, but that day you showed all  
the qualities I love in a man.

Like, I always get what I want and  
Danny Phantom was who I wanted,  
so that day had me confused. It makes  
so much sense now that I know you are  
Danny Phantom. I firmly believe in  
never giving up in what I want,  
no matter what, so I stuck by Danny  
Phantom rather than give you a chance.  
Even if you definitely had me looking.

I know I shot you down that day, saying  
you had no shot, but the truth is that you did.

You still do.

Danny, you have always meant so much to me  
as a hero and with your kindness, not just  
your looks. Although I will admit you have  
one great smile, firm hands, and a great _naglas_.  
Tell me you would steal my Saturday night.  
Just the two of us. I want a longer look at  
who Danny Fenton is, because I really loved  
what I saw that day. I'm giving all of you a  
chance, now that I know.

Always yours Danny,

Paulina

The note finished, Danny went back and reread it to be sure, frozen in a flurry of emotions.

Paulina said what about him? She liked him? Paulina Sanchez was asking him out on a date this weekend? How should he answer? He actually had a shot with her? He still had a shot with her? She liked him? Like, really liked him? She loved his hands?

Danny lifted up a hand, turning it slowly in wonder. Then he glanced up to the front of the class, where Paulina ignored the teacher, her eyes definitely peering at him. His smile?

He felt the smile form on his face, feeling even goofier as her head perked up and she smiled back.

Paulina smiled back at him!

"Dude," Tucker dragged out. "What's with you?"

"I have a great _naglas_ ," Danny replied dreamily.


	30. Danny isn't kind

Contrary to his kindness being praised, Valerie thought Danny was too kind for his own good.

* * *

"Now that you know, it's awkward isn't it," Danny burst out.

She jolted, startled from the awkward silence that had, in fact, been going on between them. Shying from his outburst, Danny looked down to his toes. She swallowed. It was true. The girl had no idea how to behave around him, no idea how to apologize or to be angry at him. It wasn't as though she could compare in keeping secrets. His was far more unbelievable than her secret.

To lack confidence, to hesitate, to be unsure…she hated it. Valerie had too much of a strong will to allow for much reflection on the past. She had always been one to stride forward.

But to fully realize and know that she had hunted a classmate, one that happened to be sweet and cute Danny, who she had decided not to date for his safety with her ghost hunting? It didn't exactly have her feeling any confidence in the pride she once took being the Red Huntress. She had been a woman on a mission, Valerie could definitely say that.

All of the times the ghost boy, Danny, had gone easy on her and she had thought it a trick…it had really just been…him. Giving her chance after chance after chance to not see him as the terrible perception of evil ghost she had labeled him.

Danny Fenton, evil? Far from it. But she had believed it of Danny Phantom, had insisted on it.

It was so like Danny to keep giving her chances. When she had become unpopular and everyone but Star had ditched her, Danny had been so sweet, not letting her rude attitude bother him. Tucker had been so desperate for a female companion and Sam had always seemed to dislike her, but Danny had just been himself. A real friend. His kindness wasn't easy to overlook.

Why had she not taken notice of his kindness when he was Phantom?

Valerie had thought she had gotten past her labeling when she discovered true friends such as Star and Danny, liking her even though her popularity was gone. Ghosts…had they just taken the place of people she could no longer call losers?

Danny coughed in front of her and Valerie glanced back, each of them winced and fidgeted when they found the other's eyes.

"I didn't want this to be awkward," Danny mumbled. "I um…always kept saying it wasn't my fault…but I felt bad about your dad and his job…"

"It's okay," she rushed to assure Danny. Valerie didn't want to have Danny feeling bad or being kind to her, when she was completely unsure he ought to be showing her any sort of kindness at all. She hunted him, ruthlessly, never listened and kept calling him evil. Danny didn't deserve that and hadn't she treated him badly enough? "My dad actually likes his job and I discovered I actually like working, earning my keep, rather than sponging off of him."

"But it's still my fault! If I had maybe figured it out sooner what Cujo was after," Danny trailed off. "Or tried more to explain…or make myself look really nasty so no one could claim it was your dad's fault ab—"

"No!"

Danny startled at the shout and so did she; her strong outburst surprising her. Valerie bit her lip, pained at Danny thinking like that at things in the past, things they couldn't do anything about. But especially… "You're not evil. You aren't. You're too sweet and kind for that. **I'm** the one who needs to be apologizing. I…I hunted you."

Valerie turned her head away, swallowing thickly. She pressed her eyes shut to stash the tears. "I'm the evil one. I didn't even let you explain or try to listen, just kept shooting at you. I noticed and hesitated, but didn't let that stop my determination that all ghosts, especially you, were up to no good. I just pushed harder to…to…k—k—ki—"

"But you didn't," Danny rushed out. "It's not your fault you didn't know Valerie! I don't hate you at all. You aren't evil. You were just trying to do the right thing."

"HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?"

Tears ran freely down her face, not held back by her will anymore.

"I tried to kill you. Repeatedly!"

The silence that followed her words was not like the last one, awkward, but thick. Body heavy, neither moved. They stood like that for the longest time, before Danny stuttered. Valerie quickly turned her head and swiped her tears away.

"I…I…I came over…because I wanted to…properly apologize," Danny managed to get out. The two teenagers refused to look at each other. "I…I ruined your life. Actually…I ruined many people's lives…because of the whole ghost thing…but…especially yours. You did nothing to deserve it. Not like me getting back at Dash…or bringing Gothica's Freakshow to justice for stealing… You didn't do anything… I liked you…you're my friend…but I never knew how to apologize to you for it. And the only way I could, I wasn't able to do it. I…I uh…"

Lifting the paper bag up, Danny pressed it into her arms.

"Here."

Curiosity won her over, knowing how Danny's face would look if she refused his kindness. Carefully, Valerie unfolded the top of the bag, silently buoyed at her name written on it by his hand. Then she pulled out an item of clothing. The expensive shirt Danny had accidently ruined when attempting to outrun Dash, worth a whopping 579 dollars. Mouth gapped open; Valerie stared at the top, fully realizing how much work it would take her to buy it again if it were still being sold.

"You," Valerie stuttered. "You didn't have to…"

"Yes I did," Danny said resolutely. "It was the least I could do after the problems I caused you that day."

Stuck soundly by the depths of Danny's sweet nature, Valerie stood silently holding the shirt up, and then lowered it to stare at him. There was no way she could pay him back. How could she? It wasn't just the money or shirt, it was him.

"But I… I've caused far more problems for you. I can't accept this Danny! There's too much between us and I've done far more damage than you ever did!"

"Eh, well, we both had to keep secrets then, trying to protect the town from ghosts. I had one and you had one, so that makes us even there," Danny trailed off as he scratched the back of his neck. He looked hopefully up at Valerie. "Friends?"

A reflexive noise came from her throat.

"And all my friends help me with hunting down troublesome ghosts to stick them back into the Ghost Zone," he implored her. Valerie coughed down a snort of laughter at his persistence to earn her back. Danny didn't need to earn him back. She needed to earn him back.

"I will consider it," Valerie stated. Danny's face brightened. "After Sam tells me exactly how many times I went after you, because I'm sure she kept track of that, so I know how many times I need to help you with ghosts, and then…then I can call you my friend again. I don't like feeling indebted to anyone."

Danny laughed. "That's fair enough. But you'll be helping me return ghosts to the Ghost Zone, which is something me and my friends do, so I'm going to keep calling you that. And no more awkward looks and not sitting with each other at lunch or not hanging out. I'm sitting with you at lunch tomorrow Valerie."

"Is that a promise," she asked.

"Yep!"

He waved as he left to head back home and she waved back, and then looked back to the top in her hands. Valerie thought about all that money she had saved up working and fisted her hands around the fabric in determination. Danny loved stars, didn't he? Maybe she could…

By the next day at lunch, she had everything bought and set up for Danny to become SCUBA qualified, one of the things astronaut candidates were required to complete for spacewalk training. Valerie grinned at his shell shocked face as she gave it to him, not betraying the fact she knew this about becoming SCUBA qualified. Danny deserved this. Sweet and kind Danny deserved this. And if she was buttering up the elder Russian immigrant in their apartment building to give him language lessons, she wouldn't be telling him either. The Russian language seemed to be something astronauts needed to know according to the websites she visited at the library last night.

Valerie ignored the distrustful looks Sam and Tucker kept giving her every now and again. She didn't blame them. She didn't deserve his kindness. But Danny more than definitely deserved it back. A hundredfold.


	31. Just a chicken jerk

Contrary to them just believing him a jerk, he had a reason.

* * *

"There's nothing wrong with the kinds of books that I read. It wouldn't hurt you to read more," Sam stated pointedly.

Danny turned his head across, continuing to watch the tennis argument between his best friends. Tucker snorted, waving his hands. "Yeah, but you read stuff like 26 children dying. I don't need you suggesting and pushing books like 'The Gashlycrumb Tinies' onto me. I actually read that! It was horrible!"

"Edward Gorey is whimsical! His style is meant to—"

Sam jerked to a full stop in her walking and talking. Concerned, both Danny and Tucker tensed up and looked to where she was staring. A taller teenaged boy ducked and weaved through the high school crowd, practically sprinting up the stairs to get inside.

"Gregor?"

"Elliot," Tucker corrected. "What is that guy doing here? I thought he went back to Michigan."

A determined look crossed Sam's face. The two boys shared a look, knowing she wasn't going to let it go easily. "I'm going to go find out."

Head high, Sam stormed her way past the other students and into the school. Danny and Tucker raced to follow, all three sets of eyes on the lookout for the white haired teen. He was honestly easy to spot. Perhaps it was just them or the nature of Casper High School at this point when it came to finding that shade of hair, but more than likely just the fact the tall teen was a terrible hider. Everyone's eyes and attention was distracted by the boy currently taking a breather behind the announcement bulletin board.

With a push at a student in her way, Sam rolled the board away from the wall. "Hello… **Elliot**."

Gasping up at her soundlessly, he grabbed Sam and dragged her back there with him. "Don't say my name out loud," he hissed. Then he pleaded. "Please Sam? Tucker, Danny? Get back here before she comes."

"And why should we help you?"

"I am sorry, it's just that when I have to come here…look, no one wants to be associated with the thing called my mother. And to her everlasting disappointment of a son, I hate sports, I love theater. But my dad actually agreed to this monstrosity of my last school year putting up with the woman."

Elliot lifted up his sunglasses, peering directly at them. "Please. I really didn't mean you any harm Sam when I last had to come here. It's just I'm here for such a short time with that monster of a woman and hell if I'm going around with my real name and deal with people's reactions, so I always take the chance to get into character. I promise you. I really thought you were an interesting person, that's why I even took on the persona of Gregor my last short visit."

The trio huddled closer behind the bulletin board, ignoring the fact their feet were all so easily seen and the board wasn't nearly large enough to give complete cover.

"Monster of a woman?"

"That doesn't mean you can pretend with others and mess so much with their feelings," Sam lectured him.

"I'm normally only here for a short visit. I'm sorry Sam. You have every right to tell me off."

"If your parents are divorced, people won't know you're her son though," Danny pointed out in confusion.

Elliot snorted. "Oh please, she despised her maiden name of Ashley. She kept my dad's last name…monster woman," he grumbled under his breath.

The trio glanced at each other. "So…who is your mother exactly?"

Raising up his ducked head, Elliot peeked up over the board for a brief moment. Gloomily, "That's her there. Talking to the bald guy."

Going up on tip toes, they looked to find Mr. Lancer across the hallway talking to Ms. Tetslaff. They paled.

"Tetslaff is your mom?!"

Glumly, Elliot nodded. "Elliot Tetslaff. Stuck with her for the whole school year, pushing me to 'man up' and do sports, listening to her disapproval of plays and musicals. Why did dad think this was a good idea? Send me back to Michigan or kill me. **Please**."

"Elliot! There you are! Why are you hiding behind the announcement board? I've been looking for you everywhere since you ran out of the truck! Get over here son! You need to get your class schedule and locker combination! Then I'll introduce you to the rest of the coaching staff! Elliot! Get over here now!"

Groaning, Elliot hunched his head down and dragged his feet across the linoleum over to his mother. Everyone who had not been already staring at the tall teenager failing to hide, were certainly looking at him now as the white haired teen did the walk of parental embarrassment. Pleading, hoping they could rescue him from his mother's clutches, he glanced back at them. After a moment of none of them moving, he mimed a gun to his head.

"I saw that Elliot! Quit being a little princess and man up! Hurry up and grab your schedule!"

The same determined face that got them inside the school early appeared onto Sam's face once again. She ran forward. "Don't worry Ms. Tetslaff! I can tell him about the sports here." Sam grabbed onto the younger Tetslaff's arm. "But Danny, Tucker, and I already promised to show him around. Come on Gregor."

Elliot sighed in relief, smiling appreciatively as she said his false name instead. He spoke loudly, in accent. "Why thank you Sam. You know, in Hungary, white is the new black. But I think black is best as it is. I shall follow your example."

Tucker and Danny hurried to catch up as Sam dragged Elliot away from his mother. She grinned wickedly. "Excellent. If you may have noticed, black hair is necessary for anyone who hangs out with me."

Elliot paled as Sam held up a black Sharpie in utter glee. Tucker and Danny perked up as she handed two more back to them as well. The teen slowly backed up, hands raised. Then he lowered them.

"I shave it off if it looks bad."

"Nails too princess," Sam informed him.

"I have a horrible feeling that its not Amity Park that is too crazy for me, but you who are too crazy for me, isn't it?"

The trio of Sharpie holders cracked up into laughter.

"I'm still throwing you back to your monster mother if I decide you aren't actually sincere about the crap you pulled on me. Hand please."

Elliot gave her his hand and looked over to the other boys. "I just sold my soul to her, didn't I?"

* * *

Extra add in, throwback to 18.

Sam snorted, filling his thumbnail black. "You're not sealing your doom by kissing me. That reminds me. Black eyes. I have eyeliner in my bag."


	32. Shared images

Contrary to his jealousy of Danny's friends, he became locker buddies with Danny.

* * *

Carefully, Danny glued the last sharp piece into place and held it up. "Awesome. Fixe—"

In a flash of green, the glued pieces fused together into one. Still holding it up in the air, Danny stared at it. The mirror remained with its innocent look. A baffled image of Danny peered back at him. Even if it was his ghost form.

"Right. Still a ghost thing. Well, I fixed it." He tilted it back and forth. "Huh. Wonder how Mr. Lancer is going to take how well I mended school property."

Danny tucked the item under his arm and trotted out of the classroom to find his old locker. The vice principal had kindly and pointedly left the door open. Hesitating, Danny stared at the open door. Locker number 724. "That's odd. It **is** a cursed number. Added together…it's a locker 13. Well…can't put it off much longer."

Checking the back for placement, Danny lifted up the mirror and put it back into its proper place. Nervous, he gazed at the mirror, bright green looking back at him. Then gray eyes blinked at him.

"Halfa!"

"Uh…hi?" Danny waved back into the mirror. "I uh…repaired your mirror over here…in my world."

"I noticed the doorway was no more the last few days when trying to contact you. We all thought it was due to our world gaining color and connecting with the rest of the ghost world, like discovering the old fashioned castle near us. It's a living _Pleasantville_! Did you break my mirror over there Buster Brown?" Sidney wagged his finger at Danny. Which, he was startled to realize there was a faint blue sheen to Sidney's skin. "You know that's seven years bad luck and my locker has seen more than enough of that mister."

"Uh," Danny laughed nervously. He rubbed the back of his neck at being told off. "Yeah…but I fixed it. Wait! You watched—"

"Oh! How could I not? One of the actors had been on _Search for Tomorrow_ and I always enjoyed watching that during lunch period eating in the teacher's lounge. It held a certain appeal to me halfa. I did so love that actor."

"Er…yeah…you can just call me Danny."

Sidney looked a bit taken aback at the request. "I really pegged you wrong."

"I tried to tell you! Dash is always the one bullying me. I just…finally got fed up with it and abused my power, turning into a person I hate. My friends already got on me about that," Danny mumbled.

Sidney laughed. "Yes siree Bob! I liked those friends of yours! Oh! Is there any way you can be a pal and send me some of that diet soda? It really tops any egg nog over here."

"Uh…sure. Hey, I'm kind of glad you aren't still mad at me about the whole…being a bully thing."

"Ah well," Sidney trailed off. He glanced away for a moment. "I understand your frustration hal—Danny. I was trying the doorway the last few days to offer my apologies. After all, did I not do the same thing you did? I sure did and I am awful ashamed of being hypocritical. Bygones can be bygones."

Danny sighed in relief.

"Oh, hey! So Mr. Lancer has reassigned my locker, but your locker still has no one using it. My friend Tucker thinks even the grown-ups believe in the curse of it a bit," Danny explained. "But I think I can convince him otherwise and get yours back."

Sidney focused on him. "Yes?"

"Yeah! See then I can get things over to you like the diet soda or even put a small television on in here and play some movies like the one you watched."

Sidney's eyes went wide and his whole body radiated a blue over his faint blue skin tone. "Really? You would do that for me? Golly gee! That would be spiff diddlee doo man!"

"Yeah, why not?"

"Why not what Mr. Fenton?"

Danny jumped at the dry tone, slamming the locker door shut to hide the ghost in the mirror. "Uh, nothing Mr. Lancer! I was just talking to myself."

"You fix the school property you broke?"

"Yeah. Good as new." Literally, Danny added. "Hey, Mr. Lancer I was wondering. This locker is always put to the side and no one is usually using it because of that curse thing about it."

"There is no curse of locker number 724 Mr. Fenton."

"Right, right," Danny waved it off. "Can I have it back?"

The teacher stared at him.

"I'd save you the trouble of keeping an empty locker around," Danny persuaded.

"Destroy school property in it again; I'll put you back over by the band room."

"Deal!"

Danny heard the older man snort as he walked away. "Never thought I'd see the day a student choose the cursed locker of 724 over any other locker no matter where. Maybe he thinks his family's research on ghosts will help."

Danny snorted himself. Tucker was right. He yanked the locker door back open. Sidney Poindexter grinned at him and he smiled back. "Welcome to Danny Movie Theater; locker of entertainment, snacks, and refreshments. Well…soon as I get a tiny television in here for you."

"Right on dude!" Sidney flashed a surfer hand sign. "Hang ten?"

Sputtering, Danny bent over laughing. "Who taught you that one? I know it wasn't Tucker or Sam!"

"Did I do it incorrectly?"

Thus began the first lesson of many Danny would give to Sidney and Sidney to Danny. History class took on a new meaning at the cursed locker of 724.


	33. Ember affects everyone

Contrary to her hypnotic guitar attack, not everyone fell victim to Ember.

* * *

She kicked her legs back and forth several feet above the ground, keeping her sights skyward. Tiny finger traced the cloud shapes. Once upon a time, she began another story in her head. There was a salamander that shone with the light of sun. He had once been drifting in with the other salamanders, but accidentally became separated from the rest of them and now all of his friends had a hard time looking at him. Sad by this, he floated farther away from them until—

The tiny girl whipped her finger away from her salamander cloud, automatically chasing the black streak. Looking around the playground, she noticed all the other kids and families racing together, away from it all. Panicked, she looked for her own mother who had been reading a book in the car.

Struggling up, the older boy who had been tossed out of the sky noticed her. He shouted and motioned for her to run, to hide. She ducked into the plastic slide entrance and peeked around to make sure he was hiding too. He was shining.

Startled, she watched as he stood straight and tall, all alone. Everyone else had left the area. She noticed her mother from the car, waving her to duck back down into her hiding spot.

Bright, blinding green flew from the older boy.

A sun salamander, protecting the others he had once been part of. None of the others aided him in defending from the attack. Many covered their ears as electric blue waves poured down onto the entire playground area. Alone, the older boy winced, bright green firing up at the attacker.

Worried, she watched as her real life sun salamander shook his head and began slumping. Everyone else in the area had been already affected by the electric blue attack, slumped and walking for him. The attacker was grinning.

Fueled by determination, she ran down the plastic slide, sprinting out of hiding and straight for the attacker. Hidden by the growing crowd making their way to the older boy, she weaved through and jumped right onto the attacker's back.

She screamed right into the other's ear, yanking at the guitar that caused the weird effect on everyone. Shoved off, she hit the asphalt. In pain and panicked about being struck again, she looked up in time to see the older boy make the attacker disappear into a silver device.

He rushed over to her, his mouth flapping about in a hurry, eyes bright in concern. Eyes that were the same color as the bright and blinding green that came from him, she noticed.

"I'm fine. I'm Jackie."

Her mother appeared from the crowd and she grinned, watching as her mother spoke to the older boy. After a moment, he looked startled and looked back down to her. She grinned up at him. After a second, he smiled back. Crouching next to her, he pointed to her hand.

He spoke as his finger traced up her arm.

'Thank you.'

"You're welcome."

'Could not…have done…without…you.' The older boy smiled at her after writing that, his white teeth showing. She grinned and grabbed his hand, drawing a quick smiley face on his palm. The laughter vibrated through his arm and she laughed as well, glad to feel his happiness.

"What's your name?"

The older boy wrote on her arm again.

"Danny?"

He nodded and she beamed at getting it correct.

"You're welcome Danny."

The older boy leaned back for a moment, his once cheerful face falling and his free hand lightly touching her leg. She looked down and saw the blue bruise. A light blue sparkled through his fingers and she jumped.

"Cold."

And here she had been comparing him to her story of the sun salamander. He moved her hand to her leg, placing it over the spot so that she could hold the ice there.

It sparkled prettily in the sun.

Her mother tapped her shoulder and Jackie looked up. Signing, her mother said, "He says the ice is yours to keep and it keeps for a long time. A year or more is possible."

Quickly, she sat down and removed a shoe and sock. Jumping back up, Jackie offered the clouds and rainbow sock to the older boy. "For Danny." She reached up high on tip toe and placed it onto his arm, where thick gooey green came from an injury of his own.

He laughed again, she could feel it.

Jackie laughed too.

"You like me. Different. But good. Right? We same? Stand together Danny?"

Danny nodded at her, agreeing, then waved farewell as he flew away.

After the battle against the electric thrush, the sun salamander and sea bat parted ways. But always knew, from that point on, that they no longer stood alone. For when sun and sea came together…the world sparkled and colored in memory of their time together, she finished in her head.

Jackie skipped along next to her mother, preferring to hold up her gift to send pinpricks of light into the world around her.


	34. Secret identity of a therapy hero

Contrary to the type of help Jazz gave, she knew she was no licensed therapist.

* * *

It was amazing sometimes what his parents were oblivious to, Danny thought from the backseat. He hunched behind Jazz, who was up in arms in his defense right now. They had removed the Fenton Phone and other equipment they had made for dealing with ghosts from his backpack. Yet, they failed to remember that Danny had a legit cell phone.

"They're insisting on it."

"Pretend you actually went cray cray and make an escape."

"Cray cray?"

"It's a thing Sam."

"Guys! Help, please!"

"Jazz?"

"Not working on them yet. Still driving there."

"Tell them you already have a solid support system."

"Yeah yeah! Include them dude! Try that one!"

Danny leaned around his sister. "Mom? You two know that you make a great support system with Jazz, right? And I can always talk to Sam and Tucker about things? Ghost stuff or personal issues?"

"We'd feel better if you would visit a professional. Honey, we can gather that there are some things you haven't even told them or us with those nightmares that wake you every now and then."

"Every child has something they don't wish to talk to everyone about," Jazz began up again.

Danny slouched back and went back to his cell phone. Several new messages had came in during that short time.

"Jazz can be your therapy person. She's been it for all these years anyway."

"Wow. Dude. Your sister is talented. Is she still talking to your rents?"

"Tucker?"

"I sent you the link Sam. Danny, your sister just posted it up online."

"I see it. Can't believe she still is using that handle. GhostGetter001. This could work Danny."

"Dude. Got an idea. I'm going to mass text everyone. Change of Jazz's plan."

"Just called Paulina & Im gettin Kwan & guys there Fenton. Where u at?"

"That's even better than Jazz's idea. Official and not just viewed as a mass of teenager annoyance."

"I know I'm awesome."

"Not that awesome Tucker."

"How dare they mess with my ghost boy!? There is nothing wrong with your head! We're coming for you! Mwah, mwah!"

"Gotcha Fenton. Bringing Mikey into this too."

"Hey Danny, this is Mikey. I'm bringing along Nathan and Spike jumped on board. Mr. Lancer wants to know if your parents have a cell phone he can call them on. He brought up Penelope Spectra as a point."

Danny blinked at the mass of texts. Sam and Tucker was a given. He knew Dash and Paulina sent a couple, Mikey told him that it was him, but the other unknown number he wasn't too sure on. Kwan maybe? Danny quickly added Mikey's name to the one number, then Kwan's to the other with a question mark in case he was wrong. And Mr. Lancer too?

"Sam, Tucker, my phone just started going text crazy," he typed into their group text. "What did Jazz put online? And what did you do Tucker?"

"Mikey, no, they don't have cell phones. Already tried the Spectra thing against them."

"Dash, not sure. Looks like downtown."

"I no where thats at. B there w guys."

Danny blinked, ignoring the new texts to type back to Dash. "How do you know where that's at?"

"Cork it Fenton!"

So much for that story.

"Danny, they can't make you talk or anything. You should be good. I got the wires Tucker asked for. Mikey."

"Danny, did everyone just ditch me? I'm taking 20 from your room to get Tori and me pizza. Dani."

"Use your own money Dani. I got kidnapped."

"Yeah right. You still have your cell phone. 20's mine. Dani."

"By mom and dad."

"Huh. Figures they'd forget a cell. Oooh! Just saw the bag of your ghost stuff at home. Dani."

"You still can't have my money Dani. You have just as much reason to be dragged to a therapist as I do."

"Uh, gross. Did you just threaten me in taking me down with you? No meat lovers for you Danny. Dani."

He stared at his cell phone in disbelief. That little brat. He was stuck suffering and she couldn't care less, much less if she did get dragged in by his parents later. "It's my money!"

"Haha. Dani."

Danny hit his head onto the back of the seat. Then he looked back down for a new message.

"Danny, Tucker went crazy here. Val." Curious at that text message, Danny opened the image attachment to see a snapshot Valerie had taken from her new secretary desk working for Mayor Foley. Tucker was pumping his fist into the air…while dancing on his desk.

"Tucker's got something Danny."

"What is it? I see you celebrating on your desk Tuck."

"Dude, I'm mayor still, I got people and can do what I want. Jazz got her phone?"

"Ignore Tucker Danny, he's an idiot. Jazz got her message online idiot."

"Oh right… Sent. Tell her to check it. We got coverage from out of town. Jazz is good."

Jazz is what? He shook his head, baffled. Wasn't this about getting him to be good and out of dealing with another crockpot therapist? Danny leaned forward and tapped Jazz, who was still rambling on about percentages to their parents. "Check your phone," he whispered as loudly as he dared.

"Thank you for reminding me Danny. Phones please kids," their mom insisted. She stuck her hand back. Both cell phones disappeared. Jazz fell silent from her arguments after this. The only noise heard was the Fenton RV as it made a turn and began to slow down.

All the Fentons went wide eyed at the view in front of the downtown building. Well, Sam did enjoy a good protest and Danny had the vague idea the fan club had rallied as well, but the shear amount was astounding. Sure enough, he saw Dash and Kwan with the football team there. Mikey, Nathan, and Spike dashed about with wires. What Tucker needed them for, Danny still had not a clue. Danny took a good look at several of the signs, confused that most seemed to Jazz's name on it. Paulina seemed to not care about what the main group was doing as her and Star held up signs calling for 'Ghost Boy Rights' in glitter speckled green.

Then the television was completely wired up and turned on for them to see a group of familiar superheroes from Jump City holding up an official looking certificate. Danny squinted and then cracked up into laughter.

They had gone and made Jazz a specialized therapist for heroes, with what looked like signatures and praise and reviews from her college professors and the therapy place she interned at and the people of the magazine she had several of her papers published.

Red faced, Jazz stuttered out her lies when their parents asked her why she never told them about this. "I…I…I'm well…I have Danny for a brother after all…and…and…it's not like many delve into that…and I uh…I never…never told you…because…well…heroes have secret identities?"


End file.
